Count On You
by redgirl25
Summary: Paige McCullers was the popular swimmer in Philadelphia. She is forced to Rosewood where she now has to start over, facing a life of bullying and hazing from some girls on the swim team. How will Paige deal with her new life and who will be there when it seems like she's all alone? Eventual Paily with a focus on Paige's struggles in Rosewood. Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

**Paige's POV-**

It had been a long day. I was exhausted from the move and now that I saw the small, quaint town I was moving to, sadness came over me. _Rosewood_. I was born and raised in Philadelphia and truly had all I could have asked for there. Perfect city, perfect grades, Perfect home, perfect friends. I was happy. I am a swimmer, and the program at my school was mediocre but I made do. That is until my parents decided that moving to Rosewood for senior year and becoming a "shark" would be the ticket to getting a scholarship. So here I am, packed and moved my life from the city. I have never moved before, I mean I was popular at my old school but being the new girl in a small town like this scared me. I was used to always having someone and now I had no one.

The way a looked at it, there were only 3 good things about my relocation to this stupid town; I had to agree the swimming program was top notch and I would no doubt be noticed if I worked hard and proved my skills. The next thing was Philadelphia isn't so far away that I will never see my good friends again. Last, I wouldn't have to deal with living under the constant pressure of my parents.

That's right, when I said I had no one I meant it. My parents couldn't move here because of their commitments to work but they had made sure I would be set up with an apartment above the small café, The Brew. My father had bought me a car, and set me up with everything I needed to make myself successful here. Successful by my Parents standards meant a nearly impossible grade point average considering the course load _they _picked for me, and improving swimming times on a weekly basis.

For being handed such an independent life, the truth was I really had no say in any of this because if I tried to fight it, living at home would have been more of a hell than it had been for the past seventeen years of my life. I've become accustom to having no say in my future. Luckily for me, I really do love swimming and have a natural talent for it. I was captain of the team and currently hold most of the records at my school in Philly. Swimming is really the only sure thing I have in my life that no one can take away from me. Although I like being the best, it means so much more to me that I don't think anyone could understand.

The loft was a one bedroom, perfect sized place for me to live for the year. The kitchen was small but for my style of cooking it would be perfect. The living room walls are a nice shade of blue that reminded me of the water with a leather couch and chair, along with a nice TV. The bedroom was simple; A queen sized bed, a desk and dresser. My parents had set up most of the things I would need beforehand so bringing my boxes up didn't take too long. My father looked at me with his typical stern, emotionless look.

"Paige be sure to talk to the coach first thing on Monday. You've been enrolled because of your excellent times from last year but I want you to make a good impression," my father ordered. "This is going to be your team Paige, and you need to let the scouts know that you are committed one hundred percent."

I looked at him and put on the fake confident smile that I learned to use when he gave me speeches like this. "Of course dad, I'll make sure they notice me. You guys should really get going if you want to make it to that charity dinner for your company dad."

"Don't forget to have the coach email me your times daily and practice as much as you can." Those were the only words I would get from him and I knew it. There were no emotional "I'm going to miss you" talks if you were a McCullers. My mom hugged me and told me to call her tomorrow and they left me alone to my new life.

After I finished unpacking the essentials, I made myself a quick dinner and made my way to my bedroom. _Maybe it wouldn't be so bad_, I told myself as I snuggled into my bed. I was definitely not the loner type in Philly. I had a lot of good friends, and I wasn't shy about myself. I was the type of person who was always part of the group. I fit in easily almost anywhere, the jocks, the geeks, the party type, you name it. I knew how to be friendly and generally had no trouble getting myself out of awkward situations. I had dated a few boys in Philly, but nothing ever lasted. My friends all said it was my fault and that I pushed them away, but the truth was I never really felt any attraction towards them. My best friend Kelly never failed at convincing a cute boy to ask me out and I just never had it in my heart to say no. I would miss her the most. We had been friends since the first day of high school and not seeing her every day was going to be the hardest part of this stupid move. We knew everything about each other it seemed and clicked on that best friend level that is hard to describe in words. I would miss her, but I knew our friendship would last a 45 minute drive away and she promised she would visit on weekends so I was confident that I would make it through this year in once piece.

I looked around my simple room and finally let the tears flow. This was it. My new life for a year. I was nervous as hell for what school would bring tomorrow and being seventeen in a new place all alone was something hard to get used to. It was the first night and I really didn't know who I was in this new place. My tears continued to flow and I let myself have this one moment of weakness as a drifted to sleep. Tomorrow, my life in Rosewood as a new person would begin.


	2. Chapter 2

I woke to the sound of my alarm buzzing. I was completely disoriented but shook it off when I realised today was my first day of school in Rosewood. School didn't start until 8:30 but I decided to get ready for school early so I could get a feel for the new town and meet with the coach. Practices didn't start until the second week of school which I hated so I was hoping I could convince the coach to allow me to do some laps during lunches. I got dressed in a simple outfit of jean shorts with a teal tank top that showed off my shoulder and arms. Kelly always told me to show them off so I decided today would be a perfect day to take her advice. I made myself a quick breakfast of oatmeal and fruit. I packed my bag and grabbed my old high school racing suit and wandered down to The Brew to get a coffee.

It was a popular place this morning and I noticed many high school students had the same idea that I did. I got a coffee and sat by the window and looked out at Rosewood. It really was a nice town, but I was more of a city girl and felt like the small town life was meant for new families and retirees. I enjoyed the hustle of the city, the constant busy life and always having something to do. I felt like in this town I would be spending a lot of time at school, in the pool, or at home studying. Just as my father would like it.

As I was contemplating dads perfect plan to exile me in Rosewood I noticed a group couple of girls whisper and look in my direction. The one girl was petite with short blonde hair while the other girl was taller and had long, obviously died, red hair. I decided to be friendly and smile their way. They both just scoffed and looked the away. Great, small town girls, only the best of snobs and gossips. I shrugged to myself and decided it was late enough to drive to the school and introduce myself to the coach.

I parked nearest to the natatorium and made my way inside. It was even nicer than the pictures my dad showed me. The Rosewood Sharks were 4 time state champions and boy did it ever show. The pool was pristine! On the far back wall were the banners displaying the success and a huge sign bearing the words "Welcome to Rosewood High, Home of the Sharks". I smiled as a realized what a great opportunity this really was. I wandered through the hall to the change rooms and the coach's office. I knocked on the door of Coach Fulton's office and decided I really was looking forward to meeting this lady who had brought Rosewood to victory so many times.

"Come on in" she called from inside the office.

"Hi, I'm Paige McCullers, my dad spoke to you a few weeks ago and got me set up on the team here." I smiled at her and she looked at me with a smile in return.

"Ah yes Paige. You had quite the record in Philly! I was impressed when your dad sent me those videos. You are certainly going to be a great asset to the team this year. Practices don't start until next Monday, dear but I am looking forward to seeing you in the pool."

"I just wanted to introduce myself before practices started" I explained. "And I was hoping to get some laps in during lunch this week if you didn't mind? This facility is amazing! My program in Philly got shut down this year because of lack of interest. It made for the perfect opportunity to come here and get started." I explained. I knew my father probably gave her all of the details of my sudden transfer to Rosewood High.

She nodded, "Yes I heard that. Really too bad that schools can do that to their students. I have a meeting at lunch today but tomorrow you are welcome to use the facility during your lunch hour. You should go get your schedule now though Paige, I don't want you to be late for your first day." She walked me out of the natatorium, continuing with some small talk about my move to Rosewood and pointed me in the direction of the office.

"Good Luck with your first day Paige, I'll see you tomorrow at lunch,"

"Thanks Coach Fulton" I shook her hand and went to the office to get my schedule. I was a little disappointed that I couldn't swim today but I was sure I could busy myself during lunch on my first day anyway, even if it meant just finding my way around the school.

I got my schedule and made my way to the first class, AP English. I sat in the front and tried to focus as Mrs. Montgomery went over the typical first day lecture. My morning classes all went the same way. During lunch, I made my way to the courtyard where most of the students ate their lunch. I found an empty table and looked over my schedule again. I had AP Calculus and then Chemistry after lunch, Great.

I was about to get my English book from my bag when I noticed the same couple of girls from the Brew this morning walking my way. I noticed they were each sporting blue jackets with an embroidered "sharks swim team" logo. I smiled as they approached, glad that I would finally meet some girls that I had something in common with. They must have noticed me in the natatorium this morning and decided to be friendly to the new teammate. I had never been so wrong. I was about to introduce myself when The petite blond girl knocked my food tray off my lap and kicked the contents across the courtyard.

She got real close to me, "Listen new girl, I'm going to make this easy for you. I saw you sucking up to Fulton this morning and we're not going to have some transfer student take over our team." The other girl nodded and laughed at my shocked and partially hurt expression. "I'm serious bitch, I can make your life hell at this school and I have no problems doing that." She raised her voice and other people around us had stopped talking and were now looking at the confrontation. I was in so much shock that I couldn't reply.

The taller redhead standing behind her spoke up when she noticed people looking and whispering our way, "Come on Chelsea," she called. She then looked at me and whispered, "You really should have stayed at your old school. You don't _belong _in Rosewood." The girls looked at each other and laughed as they sauntered out of the courtyard.

How could people be so mean? I never said a word to those girls and they just hated me already. I had never experienced anything like this before. I mean everyone had been a victim of harmless teasing but this felt different. I was alone and they just centered me out and put me down. I felt tears well up in my eyes and bolted for the nearest bathroom. I sat in far stall and decided I would stay there for the rest of lunch. I hated myself for being this weak. I was supposed to be strong and fight back, that's what I would have done at my old school. That's why I had never been a victim of bullying I wouldn't take it! It was only my first day and I already hated Rosewood High.

Suddenly the door opened and I heard footsteps of one person entering. I tried to make my sobs as quiet as possible but the echoes of the bathroom made that nearly impossible.

"Hey, are you ok in there?" A soft voice called. "I heard what happened out there and I wanted to make sure you were alright." The voice whispered sweetly. I stood up and pushed my way out of the stall. I didn't like looking weak in front of anybody and this girl was about to feel the anger that I should have let out at those girls.

The girl was about the same height and build as me, but that was about the only thing our appearance had in common. She had gorgeous long dark hair that fell in waves to frame a seemingly perfect face. Her skin flawless and with such a beautiful tan complexion. Her full lips were full and turned down in a concerned frown but what really got my attention were her eyes. I couldn't help but get lost in them as she looked at me in concern. My anger started to dissolve as I realized that she was trying to make sure I was ok after the incident with those other girls. But as I took in her outfit, I noticed she was sporting a swimming duffle bag over her shoulder and my anger returned. I wasn't about to be bullied by the swim team for a second time today.

"Look, one welcoming committee was enough for me today, I really would just rather be alone." I said trying to keep my voice from cracking. I looked at her and continued my voice returned to me as I gained confidence. "And I'm not just going to quit the swim team from you stupid girls pushing me around because although it didn't look like it out there, I promise you that I push back!" I was practically yelling now as I noticed shock flash across the girls face.

She smiled thoughtfully and looked me in the eye again. Damn those eyes. "I'm so sorry about them" she spoke softly despite my threats to her. "Trust me we're not all like that, they are just protective of the team. I heard you moved from Philly, this first day stuff must be a little tough on you. And don't worry, you won't catch me pushing you around, because I have a feeling I wouldn't stand well if you did push me" she smiled playfully and winked at me.

I know she was just trying to be friendly but those girls out there had put me on the defensive. "I don't want your pity either" I sneered. I turned to walk out the door but she grabbed my arm. I tensed and turned with my fist clenched, ready for a fight.

She looked at me with those concerned eyes again and let go of my arm, raising her hands gently as if to calm me down. "easy there Killer" she laughed nervously. "I just wanted to introduce myself. I'm Emily Fields. I'm on the swim team and I promise I'm not a bitch like Chelsea and Megan." She smiled at me and held out her hand. I took her hand to shake it and the touch was so soft and gentle I suddenly felt extremely vulnerable. I let my hand linger for longer than normal so I awkwardly let go and shoved my hands in the pockets of my shorts.

"I'm Paige McCullers, and you heard right. I moved here from Philly which sucks but I'm here now so I'm trying to make the best of it." I realised I said more than was necessary for an introduction but it felt kind of nice expressing my sadness out loud.

"I think that once you get started swimming and meet the actual nice people in Rosewood, you'll start to like it" she smiled again and I couldn't help but grin back. "Paige, there's still a bit of time left of lunch do you want to walk around a bit with me? I wouldn't mind getting to know my competition a little before practice next week" was she flirting with me? I shook the thought out of my mind. I guess after those the incident in the courtyard I wasn't expecting anyone to be nice to me. Damn it Paige stop looking so much into this girls actions.

"Uuuh… Sure" We walked out of the bathroom into the busy halls and began talking about my move to Rosewood. I told her about my friends in Philly and my distaste for the small town life. She just laughed and nodded as I explained and ranted about Rosewood and it felt nice to get it all out. She then went into explaining her life in Rosewood, talking about her best friends Aria, Hanna and Spencer. When I asked her about the swim team told me she was captain. It hadn't really surprised me considering her build. She looked like a swimmer. Long, lean toned arms, wide, yet feminine shoulders and a flat stomach, finished with long muscular legs that seemed never ending. I gulped as a realised I was checking this girl out. I couldn't help it though, her body was to die for and I had no trouble admitting that to myself. Girls can do that right?

To distract myself from checking her out I began talking about swimming my parents idea to move here to further my swimming career.

"Wow, your parents must really believe in you if they left Philly to get you into a program at Rosewood. Do they still work in Philly and just commute everyday or do they work in Rosewood."

"Umm.. yeah they still work in Philly. I probably won't see much of them during the week they both have very demanding jobs" I didn't lie but I hadn't exactly told her that it was just me in Rosewood. I didn't need any more pity from Emily.

We continued talking about our swimming, competitions and our love for the sport. I kept smiling at I realized how much I had in common with this girl. She laughed at my pathetic jokes and the way she looked at me told me she was genuinely listening to what I had to say. The way I looked at it, there were two types of people in the world, those who listen, but don't really hear what you have to say because they are waiting for their turn to speak. I tried to avoid those people. Then there are those who listen and absorb what you say and take an interest in your life. Emily was clearly the latter. Maybe Rosewood wouldn't be so bad if Emily was going to be my friend.

Emily walked me to my Calculus room and hesitated by the door, looking like she wanted to say something important. "Paige, listen. You said you didn't wanna talk about it but please if those girls get to you let me know and if it gets really bad please tell Coach Fulton. I don't want you to feel alone here. I know how hard it can be to be the outsider sometimes." How on earth did this gorgeous girl know what being an outsider was like?

"And how do you know what being an outsider is like Ms. "Captain of the swim team"?

She laughed at my poor nickname. "Well that's a story for another day. But things weren't always so good for me here either, so if you ever need to talk just let me know. Anyway we need to get to class and you can't make a poor impression on Mr. Brock or you'll never pass Calculus! See you later Paige."

"Bye Emily" I watched her as she walked away, meeting with a group of girls who I assumed were Spencer, Aria and Hanna. She had me looking forward to swim practice, forgetting about the troubles with Chelsea and Megan earlier.

The rest of the day went by quickly. When the final bell rang I realised I had survived my first day. It had its ups and downs but I didn't fret about the confrontation at lunch. Emily made it sound like it was a onetime thing with those girls so I had decided to just let it go.

I made my way to my jeep and as I went to get in something red on the windshield caught my eye. The word "BITCH" was written in giant letters across the windshield in what looked like Ketchup. I got tunnel vision as a saw several groups of people looking at my car and laughing. I had to be strong for the next few minutes I told myself. I reached into my bag and pulled out my towel and quickly wiped the windshield off, making the word disappear. It got worse when I saw Chelsea and Megan walking my way laughing and whispering to each other. As much as I felt the anger build up within me I felt weak and helpless.

"When we warned you about the swim team it wasn't an invitation to suck up to the team captain as well." Megan called. She approached me and gave me and threw a Ketchup bottle to my feet.

Chelsea then spoke up. "Next time the damage to your car will be a little more permanent, loser". She turned and walked away with Megan. I wanted to defend myself, tell her I wasn't going to back down but I had no fight in me. I felt awful. I was humiliated and everyone around me was just laughing it off. Instead of breaking down here I laughed as well. People couldn't call me weak if I didn't let them see it.

"I guess team hazing starts on the first day". I commented with a laugh. People just smiled and nodded. It worked, I made it look like I wasn't being picked on and people would never have to know how much it really hurt. That's when a pair of beautiful eyes caught my attention from across the lot. Emily looked at me with concern and sadness and began to make her way over to me. Looking into the sadness in her eyes I could feel myself breaking down again. Not here. I turned away, getting into my car as fast as I could, and began driving. I sped through the parking lot and got the hell away from this school. But I didn't get away before the first of many tears began to fall.

**Emily's POV**

I watched as Paige drove by me without so much as a glance. It sounded like she played it off when Megan and Chelsea approached but as she drove by I could see the tears fall from her eyes. So many emotions flashed through me at that moment for the second time today. _Anger, sadness, concern, sympathy, anger again. _It was typical of Chelsea and Megan to pick on the new girl. The problem was, they were nice girls if you were friends with them but if you threatened them in any way they would make sure you had a rough time at school. I had never experienced this personally but I'd seen it happen to a few new swimmers last year.

When I saw Paige in the courtyard at lunch I was sitting with Spencer and Hanna. I was about to excuse myself to go introduce myself to her. I knew she must have been the girl Coach Fulton was talking about. Lean, toned arms, broad shoulders, toned legs, flat stomach yet still feminine. She had a cute face and very pretty chocolate colored eyes. Her hair was long and had an auburn color, with a slight red tint. I took in her beauty and realised that half the guys at the table next to ours were doing the same thing, all of them grinning from ear to ear. Of course, I thought to myself. She's going to be popular with the guys, she's hot. I couldn't even help myself from checking her out.

I shook those thoughts out of my mind as soon as I saw Chelsea and Megan approach her. The look on her face when they knocked her lunch to the ground made me want to go over and show Chelsea what being mean really was. I wanted to protect this girl from the pain they were bringing her and I hadn't even met her yet.

When I saw her bolt for the bathroom I couldn't help myself. She let her anger out and finally opened up to me. Paige was nothing less than amazing. The way she talked about her love for swimming I realised I may have finally met someone who understood the water like me. I smiled as I realised me and her were going to be spending a lot of time together with swimming. I tried to let her know I would be there for her without sounded to overbearing, after all, I had only known the girl for less than 30 minutes. I cringed internally when she asked about my experience of being an outsider. I couldn't bring myself to tell her I was gay yet. I didn't want to scare her away and it sometimes had that effect on people. I had to admit to myself that I had a little crush on her but who could blame me? She was adorable, funny, and I could see a very sensitive side to her even though she tried to cover it up. I pushed those thoughts away though. I wouldn't tell her that part of myself until I knew we were friends. That would hopefully soften her reaction.

As I watched her drive away I felt a pain in my chest. I could already see through Paige's tough front. She was alone here and needed someone more than ever. Instead she was faced with being picked on the first day. That need to protect her washed through me again.

"Em, are you coming or what?" Spencer called. We were going to The Brew and they were waiting on me to get in Spencer's car.

"Yeah sorry, lets go." I got in the car and listened to Hanna and Spencer argue over the radio station. I tuned them out as I continued thinking about Paige. I had to do something. I decided I would invite her to lunch with us girls tomorrow that way Chelsea and Megan wouldn't bother her. I also decided I would discreetly talk to Coach Fulton about what was going on. I promised myself I was going to protect Paige, and I still hadn't come up with an exact reason why.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N- Well if you've made it here I'm guessing you like it so far? This is my first attempt at writing a fanfic so I hope its been good. I'm surprised at the feedback already and I'm loving it. I've been working on this story for a little while so I have a few chapters ready to be put out there in the next couple of days. I'm really trying to tackle Paige coming to terms with getting bullied. It's a touchy subject so be warned, she deals with some pretty rough things in this story. **

**I love feedback of any kind so keep it coming! **

**There's a lot more dialogue in this chapter compared to the first couple, and a bit more drama to come! You will see a bit of a role reversal from Emily to Paige from an incident on the show. It's near the end of the chapter, you'll understand when you get there! **

* * *

**Emily's POV**

"Hanna you can't call a teacher slutty and expect not to get a detention! Only you would manage to get a detention on the first day over something so idiotic!" Spencer rolled her eyes and me and Aria just laughed.

"Hey! I didn't call her slutty! I said her outfit was provocative, god I have some manners Spence." We all rolled our eyes. We loved Hanna but sometimes she was to outspoken for her own good. "And can you really blame me? She's got to be in her fifties and she was practically wearing a miniskirt and knee highs. I don't even think that's legal…" We let Hanna continue her rant.

I couldn't really focus on her and Spencer's arguments after what happened in the parking lot with Paige. If I had known where she lived I would have went there to comfort her. I wondered if she would tell her parents about it. I hoped she would at least talk to someone, I didn't like the thought of her keeping things bottled up. Again, I felt the need to protect this girl who I knew hardly anything about.

"Em? What's up you've looked distracted ever since we left the school is everything alright?" Aria nudged me softly and I decided I should confide in my three best friends.

"Well have you guys seen the new girl, Paige?" I asked quietly.

"Yeah I have AP History with her second period" Spencer replied. "Seems pretty nice, why did she do something to you?" Spencer was always fiercely protective of us. It was great when I came out because no one would think twice about crossing her or her friends. I wish I could be as fierce as her and scare away Chelsea and Megan. People just looked at me as sweet Emily, but I wanted to be more than that for Paige.

"No, actually she was very nice to me. Did you see what happened to her today? With the girls from my swim team?" I looked down as I remembered what happened, and replayed the look in Paige's face as she drove away.

Aria spoke up thoughtfully "Yeah, those girls are awful sometimes. But Paige seemed to laugh it off today in the lot. I wouldn't worry about it too much Emily, Paige looks like she can hold her own"

"But she has no one. She moved here from Philly and doesn't have any friends. I walked in on her crying in the bathroom after what happened at lunch. She opened up a bit and she seems like a really great person, I hate seeing this happen to her." I looked down again. "There's just something about her that makes me want to punch those girls for even thinking about taunting her." I let my anger out now, knowing I would be safe ranting to my friends.

"Wow Em, new girl caught your eye or what?" Hanna winked at me.

"Hanna!" the three of us yelled. Spencer continued "God, Han, you really know how to put your foot in your mouth.

"Oh come on" Hanna complained. "It's obvious Emily has a thing for her. Go for it Emily, she's a total hottie. Those jocks won't stand a chance if you put on your charm." She winked again and I couldn't help but laugh and roll my eyes.

Aria spoke up again. "What Hanna is trying to say is, it's really cute that you want to help Paige, maybe you can invite her to eat lunch with us tomorrow. She won't be alone in Rosewood much longer, Em, it sounds like you two are going to be good…friends. None of us mind befriending her either, she sounds like she would fit in with us misfits." This is why talking to Aria was the best. She came up with the most thoughtful ideas. Invite Paige to lunch, why didn't I think of that?

"Thanks Aria, I will invite her to lunch tomorrow. You're right, she really just needs a few good friends and I'm sure she will be happy here." I was picturing her having lunch with us tomorrow when Hanna nudged my arm.

"Don't look now Em, your future girlfriend is looking pretty hot and sweaty out there. Damn, even I might be into her after seeing this" Spencer whacked her in the back of the head. They began arguing again but I was in my own little world of checking out Paige McCullers.

Hanna was right, she was _hot._ She was walking by The Brew in spandex shorts and a small athletic tank top that stopped just above her belly button. There was a layer of sweat over her body and she was breathing heavily from her run. From what I could see her stomach was incredibly defined. I felt my own breathing increase and warmth spread through my body. I admired her body, focusing on her exposed stomach and hips. I worked my way up to her chest and her lean arms all the way to her face to find her looking into the window back at me. She swiftly looked away and continued her jog, turning down the alley that led to behind The Brew.

I looked up to see my friends staring at me each of them with their trademark knowing smiles. I was so busted. I gave up trying to hide it and smiled back as them, rolling my eyes and sighing. "Fine, you caught me, but she might not even be gay so please be cool tomorrow. That means you Hanna."

She squealed in delight of being right about my attraction for Paige. We all said our goodbyes shortly after and I drove home and started on my homework, trying to keep my thoughts away from Paige.

**Paige's POV**

I got home from school and ran to my room. I slammed the door and flopped down on my bed and began to sob. I was so humiliated and angry with those girls. Who did they think they were bullying the new girl? Did everybody just see it as a joke, why didn't they stand up for me? Maybe I _was _the joke. I continued crying and thinking about what happened.

What bothered me the most was that I didn't stand up for myself. I regretted not wiping the smirk off their faces when I should have. Ugh! I stood up and looked at myself in the mirror. I thought about the way they smirked and threw the ketchup bottle to my feet like I was nothing. Anger and adrenaline surged through me. I quickly changed into my workout gear and headed out the door for a run before I began punching holes in my walls. The landlord wouldn't have been happy with me and I couldn't afford a broken hand for swim season.

I worked out my anger in my running. I would be exhausted tonight but it felt good to burn the extra energy. I thought about my first day and decided that I would let it go. Two incidents already occurred, if there was a third, I would do something to show them I wasn't one to be pushed around. I ran back to The Brew and noticed Emily inside with her friends. She looked at me and I continued jogging around back and up the stairs to my apartment. She was only trying to help but if she would have tried to comfort me I would have been a mess again.

The rest of my night was uneventful and I decided after dinner to call my mom. She was happy to hear from me and asked me about my first day, I lied and said it was good. Then my father took over and asked about the coach and when I was starting practice.

"Yes dad, I talked to Coach Fulton. Practice doesn't start until next week but I'm getting my laps in at lunch starting tomorrow. I met some girls from the swim team today"

"How are they?" Damn. I knew I shouldn't have mentioned that. He meant it as how they were as competition but the question still bothered me.

"Well they are…motivational" I decided that was truthful. The more they pushed me the more I wanted to show them up in practice. I said my goodbyes to my parents and settled into bed. Rosewood sucked. I knew that, but tomorrow was a new day and I found myself excited for my first swim in Rosewood tomorrow. Swimming was always something to look forward to, no matter how awful my circumstances seemed.

**Emily's POV**

I made my way to The Brew for a coffee before school. I was a morning person, but the girls liked as much sleep as possible so I was alone. I got my coffee and a bagel and noticed Paige sitting alone, looking the newspaper with a concentrated expression and a pen in her mouth. I watched her and then realised she was working on a crossword. Did people even do those anymore? It was so nerdy but completely cute, totally _Paige_. She was so focused that she didn't notice me approach. "Sorry, I'm going to have to take this from you, it's way too early to be using your brain" I snatched the news paper from the table and sat down across from her.

Paige looked up startled but smiled softly at me. "Well I left my phone in my locker yesterday so Angry Birds Star Wars was out of the question this morning" as if she suddenly realised she was speaking out loud she blushed and looked down. "Wow. Ok so I'm kind of a dork sometimes please don't use it against me" She smiled playfully but a look in her eyes said it all. She was afraid of being teased again.

"Don't worry, I won't hold it against you, besides, it think it's kind of cute" now it was my turn to blush as a realised what I said. Paige just laughed and took a sip of her coffee. I copied her. I realised I hadn't talked to her since she drove away from me yesterday and decided I should say something to her. As I opened my mouth to speak she interrupted me.

"Look Emily, I know what you're going to say and its fine really, I'm fine. Today is a new day and I'm not going to let a couple of bullies get to me. I just had a rough first day but it's over now, so please, just don't mention it." She looked at me with desperation and I could do nothing but agree with her.

"Understood, Paige. But if you don't want to talk about that then I have a proposal for you.." I looked at her questioningly

"Fire away, Fields" she smiled at me and my stomach did a flip upon hearing her say my last name.

"Well, _McCullers,_ I wanted to see if you would have lunch with me and my friends today. You'll like them, you actually remind me a lot of Spencer." It would be win win because I would be able to get to know her more and she wouldn't be targeted by Chelsea and Megan, especially not when Spencer and Hanna were there.

I hadn't even contemplated her saying no, so when I saw her frown and slowly shake her head, my stomach dropped. "I.. well actually… I have other plans already. Sorry Emily, maybe next week or something"

I frowned. What was she doing anyway? Her answer was pretty vague and mysterious. Maybe she didn't want to hang out with me all that much after all. _Next week or something. _That didn't sound very definitive. I knew it was only lunch with my friends but I was suddenly feeling very rejected. I managed to keep my cool though. "Oh, okay. Do you have a hot date or something?" I smiled and winked at her. It was my way of asking what she was doing without sounding nosey. I hoped she didn't see through my cover.

"Ha. Ha. Sorry, no hot date, it will be lukewarm at best." I gave her a look of confusion and she just laughed again. I laughed too, even when her jokes made no sense they were still funny. She looked at the time and immediately stood up. "Shit! We're gonna be late. Do you need a ride?" She declined my offer to lunch but still offers me a ride to school? This girl was confusing.

"No that's ok I drove as well. I'll see you around Paige. I hope your second day in Rosewood is better than your first"

"Well it couldn't be any worse" She mumbled. I barely caught it, I think she meant it more to herself. "Thanks, See ya later." With that she turned and walked out of the café. I really wanted nothing more than to hug her and tell her it was going to be ok. I knew that wouldn't be what she wanted though. She wanted to avoid the topic so I walked to my car, planning what I was going to say to Coach Fulton this afternoon.

"Earth to Emily… Em?" I felt a kick under the table and jolted up to see Hanna waving her hand in front of my face. "Jeeze Em, what's with you?" Hanna asked as I focused on what she was saying. I zoned out while her and Spencer were having yet another pointless argument. My mind was on Paige. I expected to see her at lunch in the courtyard with a boy or something but I hadn't seen her at all since the café this morning.

"Sorry Han, I'm just thinking about some stuff I need to talk to Coach Fulton about. Actually, if you girls don't mind I'm going to head to her office and speak with her before I forget." They all look and me and nodded.

"Sure Em, we'll be here, come find us when you're done" Aria smiled at me and I waved and went to look for Paige. I start with the bathrooms but she isn't in any of them. I checked the cafeteria and the library but still no sign of her. I wandered to the parking lot to see if she was in her car or away for lunch but her car was still there. I gave up and decided to actually go talk to Coach Fulton.

Hazing was a delicate issue at Rosewood high. It even resulted in a few suspensions last year when Noel Kahn and the football team taped a freshman to the roof of the locker room and left him trapped there for an entire day. The kid actually loved the attention he got for it but the principle was not impressed. Hazing was now supposed to be reported immediately to the team Coach but most of the time students were too nervous to speak up. I normally wouldn't rat anyone out but I didn't think I could handle seeing Paige get hurt again.

I entered the natatorium and noticed someone swimming laps. She had perfect form and cut through the water like it wasn't even there. She made it to the other end of the pool in no time and her turn was flawless. She made swimming look so graceful and beautiful I could hardly believe it. As she made her way back, I recognized who it was. _Paige, _who else could it be? I laughed to myself as I thought of her joke this morning, I should have caught on. I was definitely going to have to bring my A game this year if I wanted to keep up with her. I watched her do a couple more laps before I walked over to the edge of the pool. I took of my sneakers and dipped my feet into the water. As Paige nears me I kick my feet and splash water onto her. She looks up in surprise and fear but when she realises it's me she smiles.

"Have you been spying on me?" she asks with a smirk.

"Just scoping out the competition, and it looks like you might give me a run for my money, you are practically perfect in the water" It was true. Her form was flawless.

"I have a feeling you're pretty decent in the water yourself, Fields" she raised her eyebrows at me.

"Are we on a last name basis now or something?" I joked

"Only when we're competing, in other words, when I'm kicking your ass." She gave me a cocky grin and I couldn't help myself from kicking more water at her. She puts on a mock serious expression and glares at me.

"Oh you really shouldn't have done that, Em" She grabs my feet and tries to pull me into the water. I know she's not really using any strength considering I'm fully clothed but I play along and grip the edge of the pool and fight her off, screaming and begging her to let me go. After a bit of giggles and a few more splashes at each other, Coach Fulton walks in and I remember the reason why I came here in the first place.

"Ah I'm glad to see my two star swimmers have met, you should see this girl swim Emily, you're gonna have to watch this one." Fulton says with a grin.

"Oh I've noticed Coach, I think we're really gonna push each other this year. I think I've distracted her enough though, I actually came here to talk to you about some stuff" I stood up and put my shoes back on.

"Of course, lets head to my office and we can chat. Good work out here Paige, you've really managed to impress me."

"Thanks Coach, I'm just going to get a few more laps in then I'll be out of here. See ya later Fields"

I can't help but give her a new much deserved nickname, "Yeah I'll see you around, superstar" I wink at her and a swear I saw a blush, but it could have been from her workout so I brush it off and head to Coach Fulton's Office.

**Paiges POV-**

I watched as Emily and the coach walked down the hall to her office and I continued swimming laps. I stopped at the edge after about 10 more laps to catch a breath. I was about to lift myself out of the pool when something pushed me down under the water.

Panic. What the hell was happening? I was already out of breath from the rigorous swim and I knew I wouldn't last much longer under the water. I fought and tried to shoot myself up but nothing was working. I felt myself weakening from the lack of oxygen when suddenly the pressure was released I shot up just long enough to catch a breath before being shoved under again. I caught a glimpse of a hands on my head and shoulder, pushing me down. Someone was trying to drown me! I was being held down longer this time. My mind began working in double time and adrenaline shot through my veins. Logic kicked in and I realised I could save myself. I kicked my feet and pushed myself further into the water away from the persons grasp and kicked out from the wall. I made my way up and gasped for breath. My arms were tired and I was finding it difficult to swim. I grasped onto the lane divider and reoriented myself. I looked up and saw who did this to me. Chelsea and Megan stood before me, arms crossed and glaring at me with cocky smirks on their faces.

"WHAT THE HELL?" I yelled, anger and adrenaline fueling my body. I swam for the edge of the pool and lifted myself out to stand face to face with the girls who could have easily killed me if they wanted to. I guessed that was the point, to scare me. Right now I wasn't scared. I was mad.

"Pipe down, loser. If Fulton and Emily come out and see what happened you're going to wish we drowned you here." Chelsea laughed and I clenched my fists getting ready for a fight.

"If you think you're going to get away with this, you've never been more wrong." My voice was strong. "I'm not afraid of you and you can't scare me away from the team." I took another step towards them and they looked at each other and laughed.

"We'll see about that" Megan spit the words at me. "We suggest you quit your lunch time work out too, you never know what can happen when you're alone in a pool. Coach Fulton won't be able to save you from behind her desk." They both laughed again before turning and walking away like the confrontation had meant nothing to them.

I didn't cry this time as I made my way to the locker room. Surely the tears would come later but right now I was angry. I showered and got dressed quickly, slamming my locker felt good so I turned and gave it a good punch. _Fuck!_ Bad idea, but it did feel a bit better seeing a large dent in my locker. I was proud that I could to that much damage to metal, and pictured the damage I could do to Chelsea's face. I knew the consequences of fighting; my father would have my head if I got suspended. Plus there were two of them and one of me, it wasn't a fair fight. I was beginning to realise that nothing about my life in Rosewood was fair. I left the change room quietly. I wouldn't be able to deal the Coach Fulton now.

**Emily's POV-**

Coach Fulton closed the door and sat behind her desk, "What's on your mind, Emily?"

"Oh umm.. well.. I'm not sure how to exactly bring this up but I guess I'm worried about Paige. I know she would never tell you this but a couple of the girls from the team have been picking on her a bit, you know, trying to scare her away from the team. I think they're nervous about losing their positions to her, but they made her day pretty tough yesterday, and they haven't even seen how good she is yet. I'm afraid of what might happen when they see her on Monday" I rambled nervously.

Coach Fulton nodded thoughtfully as she wrote something down on a piece of paper. "I appreciate you coming to me about this Emily before it gets to out of hand. Poor Paige, she really seems like a lovely girl and I can tell the move has been tough on her. Thanks for looking out for her Emily, I know you didn't say any names but I have an idea of who did this."

I was suddenly nervous about how Coach Fulton would deal with this. What if she talked to Paige? "Can you please make sure this stays between us? I don't think Paige would be happy if she found out I told you, she's not the type of girl to talk about her feelings and I don't want to upset her"

"Understood. But in return if you see any other problems between the girls I want you to come to me. I don't want any tension on this team and I certainly don't want Paige to deal with this. Thanks for looking out for her Emily, this is why you're going to make a great captain this year." Me and Coach Fulton have always had a good relationship, she was always there for me when I came out in sophomore year and has made a great mentor when it came to swimming.

"You got it. Thanks for your help" I smiled and waved goodbye and walked back to the pool but Paige was gone. I frowned and considered looking for her in the change room but I didn't want to come across as desperate, so I made my way back out to the courtyard to finish my lunch with the girls.

**A/N- Hope you like where I'm going with this. More drama to come in the next chapter**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N- Here's the next one! All Paige's POV for this chapter.**

**Paige deals with some rough things yet again in this chapter so be warned! **

**Sorry it's a little dramatic for the next couple chapters but i promise that chapter 6 will be a happy one! **

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**Paige POV-**

My week went by quicker than I expected after Tuesday. It was a dread waking up for school every morning and wondering what would happen, but the rest of the week ended up going by without any more problems. That didn't mean I let my guard down. I continued going to the pool at lunch because like I said, I was done being pushed around. If I showed those girls that I wasn't afraid, they would have to back down eventually right? Well it must have worked because I didn't see either of them for the rest of the week. I didn't see much of Emily either aside from a few times in the halls. I was hoping she might join me for a swim during lunch one day but she seemed to have her own little bubble of friends and I didn't want to be intrusive.

Saturday I went to back to the city for the day to visit my family and friends. It was strange, when I was with my friends I was back to regular Paige who could smile and didn't have a trouble in the world. When they asked how I liked Rosewood I lied and said I was getting used to it. I didn't have the guts to say that I was the target of some pretty serious bullying, and in any case if Kelly found out she would just worry and be texting me every 5 minutes. She was the type of girl who would cry if she ran over a squirrel. So I enjoyed my Saturday with my friends, glad to leave Rosewood behind me even if it was only for one day.

I was back in Rosewood on Sunday and realised had had whole day with nothing to do. I worked on my homework in the morning and decided lunch at The Brew would be a perfect reward for my hard work. I walked in and noticed Emily and her friends sitting by the window. Emily noticed me and smiled, and raised her hand as if to call me over. I approached the table shyly with an awkward wave to the group of girls.

"Hey superstar" Emily greeted. "Do you want to join us for lunch?" she asked with a huge grin. Wow, did she ever seem happy to see me.

" That would be great actually, I've been doing homework all morning so I've earned the biggest meal this place has got" They laughed at and Emily motioned for me to sit down next to her.

The blonde girl spoke first, "You must be Paige, Em has told us so much about you, it's nice to finally meet you. I'm Hanna by the way" I looked to Emily who was blushing and glaring at Hanna. The taller brunette raised her hand and whacked Hanna in the back of the head. I giggled. Her friends weren't the most subtle people I'd met.

I grinned and looked back to Hanna. "Nice to meet you, yeah Emily talks about you guys quite a bit to."

Emily rolls her eyes and introduces me to her other friends "This is Spencer" she pointed to the taller brunette. "And that's Aria" They both wave and say hello and I smile and greet them in return.

"So you moved here from Philly? How do you like Rosewood so far?" Spencer asked. I tensed a little and Emily looked at me apologetically.

"Yeah I moved here from Philly, it's been tough to be honest. I'm not used to starting out in a new place. It's only been a couple of days but I really do miss my friends from the city. Rosewood is umm.. very different I guess."

Spencer smiled, satisfied with my honest answer I guessed. She seemed like someone who didn't open up to many people, and looked protective of her friends. I could tell we had a lot in common. I ordered my meal and Hanna continued firing questions at me about Philly and my friends there. She asked about my past relationships, and I noticed Emily tense a little. I smiled and explained there wasn't much to tell and she seemed to relax when I didn't take offence to Hanna's personal question.

"So.. anyone in Rosewood got you interested Paigey?" Hanna smiled at me playfully and winked. _Paigey_ Oh great, I hadn't been called that since fourth grade. I rolled my eyes and focused on her question.

I hadn't actually had time to think about it. I was so caught up in my problems that I didn't take notice to any of the boys. "No, not yet anyways." They all smiled thoughtfully. I noticed Hanna nudge Emily, and she blushed yet again. I pretended not to notice, I didn't want to embarrass her, although I was very curious what Hanna meant by it.

"You seem pretty athletic Paige, do you do any other sports besides swimming?" Spencer asked

"Well I used to play field hockey and soccer at my old school. But I'm gunning for a swimming scholarship this year so my dad didn't want me to risk any injuries." I answered honestly. I loved all sports but my father wanted my focus where is mattered this year.

Spencer's face lit up at my answer "Field hockey huh? Well, we'll have to get out on the pitch sometime and I'll show you how it's done." Spencer smirked at me. I had a feeling she was competitive which made me grin in return. I loved a bit of competition and I had a feeling me and her would be pretty evenly matched. I started planning in my head where and when our little showdown could take place.

Aria groaned and looked at us "Spencer! She said she couldn't afford any injuries and you are way too competitive. If you want to show off your talent to her, have a math-off or something" We all burst out laughing at Aria's suggestion. I was seriously competitive though, so I looked to Spencer and gave her a slight nod. She smirked back and I knew we were going to play it out on the field one day.

We all continued talking and laughing through the rest of lunch. I really liked Emily's friends. Hanna was…well she was Hanna. She reminded me a lot of Kelly but more outspoken. Aria seemed like a bit of a mystery but she was thoughtful and funny. Spencer would definitely keep me on my toes. We didn't know each other well but we had a lot in common. I felt like we would either be great friends or big time rivals. We continued talking about school and plans for next year until we finished our lunch and began heading out the door.

Emily walked with me "So, you ready to bring you're A-game to practice tomorrow?" she imitated Spencer's cocky smirk and I laughed.

I smirked back at her. "I'll be ready, Fields. Don't take it personally, when I swim circles around you"

"Ha. Ha. You are just the funniest aren't you? Oh, Paige, I almost forgot." She pulled out her phone and handed it to me. "Add your number I don't know why I didn't ask you for it the day we met" she explained

"Are you coming on to me Fields?" I meant it as a joke but she suddenly looked really nervous again. I pretended not to notice and continued adding my name into the phone, using my nickname "Superstar". As I gave her phone back our fingers brushed together and like the hand shake on the first day I couldn't help but let it linger a little longer than normal.

I pulled away when I realised how creepy I was being. "See ya tomorrow Emily!"

"Bye Paige, enjoy the rest of your lazy Sunday" She turned and walked away with her friends who gave me a wave goodbye. I smiled to myself. I liked her friends and they seemed to like me. My second week in Rosewood appeared to be starting out on the right track.

Monday was a blur. Before I knew it, school was over and I was in the locker room getting ready for my first swim practice. Emily was nowhere to be seen so I assumed she was at the pool with Coach Fulton already. I found my locker assignment and smiled when I realised that Emily's name was on the one next to mine. I changed quickly and made my way to the pool. I sat on the bench with my teammates and saw Emily walk in with the Coach. She smiled at me and I think I noticed her checking me out in my swim suit. I was a little embarrassed because one pieces were not the most flattering thing a girl could wear. I cleared my thoughts focusing on Coach Fulton's speech about commitment and the importance of respect to ourselves and teammates.

"On a final note ladies, I've caught wind that there has been some hazing taking place. I'm not going to single anybody out but I'm going to give you all one warning, if I hear of any type of incident again, the punishment will be severe. This is not to be taken lightly, there is a difference between playful teasing and hurtful actions."

I looked up and noticed Chelsea and Megan looking at me. How the hell did Coach know I was being targeted? The two girls were staring daggers into me and I knew my issue with them were far from over. I looked to Emily and saw she was looking at me apologetically. She mouthed the word 'Sorry' to me. She told Coach Fulton about this? How could she I asked her to let it go! I had never felt so betrayed. I trusted Emily to leave it be and she tells the Coach? Not only do I look like I ratted out my teammates but there's no way in hell those girls are going to leave me alone now.

I didn't look at Emily, I focused on the Coach's instructions for practice. Today was just swimming laps and getting in shape again. Conditioning and form today, timing started tomorrow. I made my way to the far lane alone. Emily was following me and tried to get my attention but I got on the starting block, and jumped into the water before she could say anything.

Swimming always cleared my head. I was able to channel my emotions easily by gliding through the water. It was how I dealt with my parents over the years. I swam lap after lap today, even impressing myself with how hard I pushed. Emily, Chelsea, Megan. I kept thinking about my hatred for Rosewood and pushed myself harder and harder until I heard the Coach blow the whistle signalling practices end.

I rushed to the locker room, and headed immediately for the showers where I wouldn't have to see Emily. I was still pissed and I couldn't handle any apologies from her right now. I went back to my locker and noticed Chelsea standing up on the bench calling everyone's attention.

"Listen up ladies! None of you make any plans tonight, we're going back to my place for a pool party and some drinks to celebrate the new season. I hope you all show up, you know what Fulton said about being committed to the team" she looked at me as she said that. It was a challenge. We all had to prove our commitment by attending. She made it seem like an option but I knew if I wanted the other girls on the team to respect me, I was going to Chelsea's house tonight. She told us her address and left the locker room with Megan.

I didn't notice Emily approach her locker. "You don't have to go, Paige" Emily looked at me softly. "They can't do anything to jeopardise your position on this team."

I was still hurt about her telling the Coach. "You know what Emily, I don't need any more of your help. I think you've done enough to make sure that I lose the respect of everybody on this team! You should have let it go like I asked you to but you just had to step in didn't you? Do you ever mind your own business or do you make it your job to intrude on everyone's problems?" I took it a bit too far but I was mad and I was feeling betrayed. I turned to walk away but she grabbed my arm and spun me back around.

"Paige wait" She pleaded. "I'm sorry okay? I couldn't let you get hurt anymore and I didn't know what else to do. It was a mistake I should have talked to you but you didn't want to do anything about it. Please look at me. I don't want you to deal with this alone. You can count on me Paige, I can help you deal with them if you just let me" her eyes were getting watery and I had to make my escape before I broke down too.

I pushed her hand of my arm. "Count on you? You already blew it Emily" I rushed out of the door and to my car, I sat for a minute, letting myself sob. I went from having nothing in Rosewood to even less. I rushed home.. sprinting up the stairs of my apartment and into the bathroom, slamming the door behind me.

I looked at myself in the mirror. How pathetic am I? Being betrayed really is the worst. I would rather have Chelsea and Megan drown me a million times over than feel like this. It makes you feel worthless. That's what I was. I looked at my reflection and saw a worthless pathetic version of myself staring back at me. I snapped my arm back and punched the mirror, sending shards of glass flying through the bathroom. I looked down at my hand and saw blood dripping from my knuckles.

Something triggered in me as I watched the blood flow from my pale skin. The pain was so real and I felt like I deserved it. I picked up a piece of the broken mirror and held it curiously. I held the sharp end to my wrist and put a bit of pressure on it. My mind snapped into action again as I realised what I was about to do. I threw the piece into the sink and walked out of the bathroom. I gave my head a shake as I got my first aid kid and treated the wound on my right hand. There was one deep cut on my knuckle and a little bit of swelling. Nothing felt broken which was relieving.

I thought about what I almost did in the bathroom. I really freaked myself out for a minute. I had heard about people using self harm at school before but I always thought those people just wanted attention. Here I was just about to do it myself. Rosewood was really messing with my identity. I cleaned up, avoiding the bathroom as much as possible. I could deal with the mirror mess tomorrow I didn't want to put myself in the proximity of sharp objects right now.

I changed into my favorite two piece bathing suit for my night with the swim team. I'm pretty sure no one would willingly pick a one piece after dealing with them in swim competitions for your entire life. I threw a pair of track pants and a loose fitting tank top over and was good to go. I checked my phone and noticed I had 5 missed calls and several text messages from Emily. I didn't want to deal with her, how could she not get that through her head?

I arrived at Chelsea's house around 7, parking on the side of the road. There were already several cars here and I was thankful I wasn't the first to arrive. I bandaged up my hand pretty nicely and I hoped no one would ask about it, I still hadn't come up with a believable excuse yet. I made my way around back and noticed a few of the girls were already pretty drunk. I laughed and began chatting with a few people from the team I hadn't met yet. I saw Emliy but I didn't acknowledge her. Someone offered me a drink and I decided to join the fun, I wanted these girls to like me after all. I could just sleep in my car tonight, I would feel more comfortable there than in Chelsea's house. I took a few shots and began to loosen up pretty quickly.

The night was actually going pretty good, drinking, swimming, and I made a few acquaintances on the swim team that seemed to like me. I noticed Emily was by herself most of the night and watching me with her concerned eyes. I ignored her not wanting to think about what my intoxicated self would say if she tried to talk to me.

I was about to jump back in Chelsea's pool when her and Megan approached me. They both looked pretty drunk by the way they were stumbling towards me.

"So the rat decided to show up after all!" Chelsea yelled, poking me in the chest. Everyone stopped and looked at us. This was going to be bad. "No one likes a rat, am I right ladies? Did you really think telling Fulton would stop us? We haven't even begun yet, Paige" she sneered at me and Megan burst out in a cocky laugh.

I had enough, and the alcohol wasn't helping me calm down. "I didn't say anything to the coach! You think I care what you two do to me? Look at yourselves? You're making this to easy! You wanna beat me at swimming? Then actually put some effort in instead of trying to push me around"

"Please! Like we said, it hasn't even begun" Megan charged at me and gave me a shove, causing me to stumble back and nearly fall in the pool. I caught my footing in time and charged back at her, giving a good push back causing her to fall to the ground.

"You're done here, rat!" Chelsea ran at me with her arm snapped back, ready to punch. I got ready to defend myself when I felt someone pull me back by the waist. Emily was holding me back and another girl grabbed Chelsea and did the same thing.

"Enough!" Emily yelled. "Coach Fulton wasn't playing around when she said she didn't want any tension between teammates. Everyone just calm down" Emily was right, I couldn't fight these girls and risk the consequences of being suspended from the team. I shrugged out of her grip, still angry but I just shook it off and walked towards the pool.

I don't think anyone was expecting what happened next. I sure as hell wasn't. I was about to jump in the pool when I heard several gasps from behind me.

"Paige! Look out!" Someone called.

I turned to see what she was talking about when I noticed a flash of white out of the corner of my eye. I turned just in time to see Chelsea holding a hard plastic life ring, before it came into contact with the left side of my face, knocking me flying into the pool.

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**A/N- The next chapter will be posted today, so its not really a cliffhanger! **


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N- This will be my last update for at least the next few days. These chapters have been written out for a while because I wanted to have a decent amount ready before i posted it to keep people interested. Its all on here now so I gotta get some new stuff going. **

**Again, lots of drama but Chapter 6 will be lighter and more Paily moments to come I promise!**

**Please give me some feedback if you have a question or any suggestions for me. Enjoy!**

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**Paige POV-**

I was floating. Huh? Where on earth was I? I panicked and tried to move but my mind had no control over my body. I opened my eyes and all I saw was fuzzy blue. I was in the water? How did that happen? I remembered seeing Chelsea swing something at me and that was it. Now I was drifting to the bottom of the pool. The only thing I could feel was the throbbing in my head. I momentarily forgot where I was and tried to take a breath. That was a mistake. My lungs screamed in protest but there was nothing could do. Everything started to turn fuzzy and I was strands of black around my face and a warmth pressing against my back holding me down by the waist. I began to drift into my mind again, I was sure I wasn't going to wake up this time.

I came back, feeling strong arms wrapped around me from behind, pulling me down. No, pulling me up! My head made it to the surface of the water and I coughed up the water I had swallowed. It was still very hard to breath and I couldn't quite find the control to open my eyes and let the world in again. I was aware of a lot of screaming and swearing coming from every direction but it was muffled and faint. Again, the only thing I could really focus on was the throbbing in my head and trying to get a good breath again. I was now out of the water lying on my back against the cool ground. My mind was beginning to find my body again and I opened my eyes and took in the scene in front of me.

Emily was hovering over me, cupping my cheek and holding my head up, trying to help me clear the water from my lungs. The look on her face was heartbreaking. It was a mixture of anger and concern but her eyes were focused on mine. Her mouth was moving but I still couldn't make out any words. Finally, I was able to clear the last of the water I swallowed, and take a deep, satisfying breath.

"Paige…Paige? Come on can you hear me? focus Paige you need to keep breathing" her voice was panicked and I realised that I was still very loopy from my blow to the head. "Someone call an ambulance, she's still not awake!" She was panicking, tears streaming from her face. Ambulance? No they couldn't do that! They would call my parents and I would have to sit out of swimming if it was bad.

I fought against the need to close my eyes and sleep, finally opening my mouth, speaking as loud as a could "No..No S' fine! No ambulance… just need to lay here for a bit" I did my best to smile at Emily and she looked at me in relief at seeing me finally respond. I wonder how long I was out? It felt like seconds but it would have been hours for all I knew. She caressed my cheek softly and I didn't want her to let go.

"She's fine Em, chill out" Someone called. I focused my eyes on the blurry figure and recognised Chelsea standing next to us with her arms crossed. Everyone was circled around us, leaving me, Emily, Megan and Chelsea as the center of attention.

Emily caressed my cheek once more before standing up and turning towards the two girls. Emily got right up in Chelsea's face.

"Fine? You think she's fine? She probably has a concussion thanks to your stupidity! She could have drowned tonight Chelsea and you think she's fine? You had better hope she's alright because if she has to sit out for this, Coach Fulton is going to get the full story and you can kiss your spot on the team goodbye!" Chelsea was about to fire back and I realised I needed to help Emily before she ended up in the pool as well.

I sat up, ignoring the throbbing of my head. Everything got fuzzy again for a minute but I fought it with everything I had. Emily needed me. I needed Emily.

"Shut up, Emily! I barely hit her! Why are you so angry? I'm sure Paige doesn't want to deal with your lesbian crush on her anyways!" Chelsea spit the words at her and I noticed Emily cringe slightly.

Did I hear that right? Was Emily really gay? Not that it mattered right now, Emily was about to lash out at Chelsea. Head injury or not I had to protect Emily. I stood up, stumbling and almost falling head first to the ground. Emily rushed to my side, putting her arm around my waist and holding me up. I wrapped my arms around her, needing her support. My speech was slurred but I think I got my point across.

"Emily….S'don't worry about.. her. Let's just get…I just want to be out of here." I could feel my cheek and eye swelling shut and I knew if I didn't get home and put ice on it I would have a shiner for the rest of the week.

Emily held her ground, looking torn between helping me and beating the stuffing out of Chelsea. I tugged at her and she finally began walking with me around the house. She stopped to grab my stuff, and helped me keep my balance as I put my tank top and sweat pants over my swim suit. Emily was quietly sobbing and began rambling.

"I can't believe she did that! She actually could have killed you! She is so lucky you're alright. Oh, Paige I'm so glad you're alright. I'm so sorry about everything I mean it, please.. please just tell me you'll forgive me eventually? I just need you to forgive me." We stopped when we got to the end of the driveway and she looked at me with nothing but care and concern.

I was pretty much leaning my entire body on her now so I straightened up with my best effort, trying to look as coherent as possible. I looked into her eyes that always took my breath way. "Em, I'm alright now. Don't worry. After you saved my ass from drowning I think I can forgive you. I mean what kind of person would I be if I didn't forgive you after that?" I laughed and Emily joined in. She was still crying so I reached up and wiped her tears away with my thumb.

My mind was still foggy, and I was a little intoxicated so I held myself closer to her, taking her in to an embrace. I nuzzled my face into her neck and wrapped my arms tightly around her waist. She returned the hug by wrapping one arm around my neck, and her other hand cupping the back of my head. She ran her fingers gently through my hair. The hug lasted a few minutes before she began to worry again. She pulled back and looked at me but I kept my arms securely around her body.

"Come on, I need to drive you to the hospital" She began walking me towards her car.

I stopped moving and she looked at me in shock "Emily I'm ok, I don't need to go the hospital they're just going to tell me to sleep it off" I couldn't risk hearing the words _concussion_ along with _bed rest_ and worst of all, _no physical activity_.

"Paige, you got hit pretty hard, I'm pretty sure you have a concussion and not diagnosing it could have some serious long term effects" She looked at me pleadingly.

"Look.. I really just want to go home and rest alright? I'll get it checked out tomorrow just let me go home and put some ice on this before I can't see" I tried to joke but I could tell she wasn't happy.

"Fine, but I'm taking you home, walking you to the door, and explaining to your parents that you might have a pretty serious injury."

I laughed and tried to play it off. I didn't need her to know that I was _alone_, she wouldn't let me stay by myself tonight if she knew. Not that I would have minded her staying with me, but I was feeling the line between friendship and something more blur with Emily, and tonight of all nights, with me a little drunk and loopy, well it wouldn't be a good thing if she stayed with me.

"Trust me I'll be fine, but your worrying is sweet. I'll just drive myself home and text you when I get there okay?"

"Paige, there is no way in hell you are driving home tonight. First of all, you've been drinking, secondly, you hit your head and you can't even walk straight. And sorry, I don't believe you will actually tell your parents about your injury and I am not letting you lie to them." She smiled at me and began dragging me to her car.

"Wait! I can't leave my car here, Chelsea and Megan will totally bust it I know it." It was my last excuse and I hoped she would buy it.

She reached into my purse she was carrying and pulled out my keys. "Come on I'm driving you home" she walked me to the passenger of my car and opened the door for me.

"Are you gonna do up me seatbelt for me to?" I mumbled. She laughed and shut the door. I looked out the window and saw she was on the phone. She then took her keys and put them under the tire of her own car. She walked over to my car and climbed in.

"Spencer and Aria are going to pick up my car. They'll meet me at your house to pick me up in a bit. What's your address?" Well I guess I couldn't keep this from her any longer if she was going to drive me home.

"I live in the apartment above The Brew" I explained. She looked at me questioningly as she started the car and drove towards downtown Rosewood.

"The one bedroom? Hanna's boyfriend used to rent that place. That must be tough living in such close quarters with your parents. Are you just staying there until you find something more permanent?"

I could have easily lied, she gave me a perfect opportunity to, but I thought that would only come back to bite me later on. "Actually, I live there alone. My parents still live in Philadelphia, it's just me here in Rosewood."

* * *

** Emily's POV**

My chest tightened at Paige's words. She lived alone? How was that even possible? I didn't understand how her parents could just leave her here completely on her own. My own parents have an anxiety attack if I don't see them for one night for crying out loud. My eyes began to water as I realised how alone she must really feel. No more of that. Tonight was the last time, I wasn't going to let her deal with this on her own anymore.

I reached out across the console and took her hand. I squeezed it gently, trying to let her know I wasn't going to let her go. "I wish you would have told me sooner" I spoke softly. "I'm going to get you home, come inside, get you some ice and Tylenol, and then you are going to tell me everything"

I could see the tears streaming down her cheeks and there was nothing I wanted more than to hold the beautiful girl beside me and make her pain go away. She squeezed my hand tighter and closed her eyes. She always tried to fight her emotions. I needed her to open up to me more than anything. She sighed.

"I think that might be a good idea" She mumbled.

We drove the rest of the way in silence. I parked behind the brew, and sent Spencer a quick message, telling her to leave my car at her house, I was going stay the night at Paige's. I walked briskly to the passenger door and wrapped my arm around her waist, guiding her up the stairs and into her small apartment. I walked her over to the coach in the living room, letting go of her. I looked at her thoughtfully before I went to the kitchen, getting her a bottle of water, two Tylenol, and a bag of frozen peas to put on her cheek.

I sat next to her and pulled her close to me, wrapping my arm around her shoulder and gently combing through her auburn hair. I looked at her sad chocolate eyes and brushed a few tears away with my thumb.

"Alright Paige, tell me what's going on".

She sighed and looked down as she spoke. "Basically, my relationship with my parents has always been shit. If you knew my dad you'd understand why. He puts so much pressure on me to be the best and nothing I have ever done has been good enough for him" she began crying again.

"I… I can't even remember the last time he said 'I love you' or 'I'm proud of you'. Anyway he always pushes me to do better and when it comes to swimming, he expects nothing short of perfection. When he saw the opportunity to move me to Rosewood, he transferred me. I didn't even know about it until the three weeks before school started. I couldn't say no. Emily, I can't even explain what would happen if I tried to stand up to him" she was trembling and I felt tears of my own begin to fall. "They set me up here and just left. The only thing my dad asks for are good grades and weekly swim times. He's never asked about my friends or anything." She cries turned into sobs.

I held her impossibly close, "Shh.. Paige, you're ok, I've got you hun" I tried to calm her down. It was breaking my heart seeing her like this. So much was going through my mind right now but I had to stay strong for her.

"I'm just an investment to him, Emily. And moving me to Rosewood was the best way to cash in on my talents".

I didn't know what to say so I didn't say anything. I just held her close and let her cry. I hated her father. I hated everyone who ever caused her any sort of pain. A few minutes passed by and she finally calmed down.

"How's your head?" I looked at her in concern again. The swelling had gone down on her cheek but there was a large purple bruise forming underneath her eye.

"S'okay" She whispered softly.

It was my turn to speak now. "Paige, I need you to let me help you. I'm not going to let you go through this alone. I knew this was hurting you but I didn't notice how bad it was. Please, let me in Paige, I'm not like your parents, I'm not going to hurt you. Same with the things at school. You are _not _going to deal with them alone. I can't let you. You are way too good to deserve this."

She looked at me in awe. "I really don't know what to say right now so I'm just going to go with a thank you" she smiled lightly at me and I laughed.

"I don't need to hear anything from you Paige, but you better get used to me spending a lot more time here. Your own apartment? Just think about the trouble we could get into here" I didn't realise how bad that really sounded until I said it.

Paige looked at me with wide eyes and I couldn't help but laugh. "Not like that you pervert!" I playfully swatted her shoulder. "Come on let's get you to bed. If you don't mind I'm going to spend the night here just in case your head gets bad and you need something. You can say no but that just means I'm going to sleep in your car"

Paige laughed again. It made me smile to hear her adorable chuckle again. "You can stay here, I don't mind"

We went to her bedroom and I noticed how bare it was. There were several boxes in the corner so I figured she hadn't completely finished her unpacking yet. She wandered to her dresser and pulled out a pair of cotton shorts and a tank top and tossed them at me. She grabbed the same for herself and began changing.

I couldn't help but watch in awe and she lifted her shirt over her head. I couldn't stop staring at her perfect body in that swimsuit at Chelsea's party her abs were perfectly defined and her ass looked so good that I almost got caught staring a few too many times. I felt heat flash through my body as a watched her change now. She was still wearing her swimsuit so as she began stripping that off I forced myself to turn around. _And I just called her a pervert,_ I thought to myself. I quickly changed, facing away from her and headed for the bathroom.

"Emily!" Paige called but I had already opened the door. I let out a gasp as I took in the shattered mirror and the pieces all over the bathroom floor. My first instinct was to run out and yell at her for even thinking about punching the beautiful reflection of herself. I shuddered at the thought that she must have done this after our fight in the locker room. Was I responsible for this? It certainly felt that way.

I was being strong for her. So instead of yelling I closed the door behind me and began cleaning up. I swept the pieces and put them garbage, cleaned the pieces around the sink and covered the shattered mirror with a towel. I didn't want her to look at a broken image of herself in the morning. I composed myself and went back to her bedroom, ready to face whatever she was going to tell me.

"Emily, it was a mistake okay? I was just mad I could have hit anything" she explained desperately. She was lying on her bed now with the covers pulled back. I pulled myself up next to her and draped the covers over us, tucking us in.

"Paige, just let me see it" I murmured. I took her right hand and examined it closely. There was a bandage over her middle knuckle and some slight swelling but it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I couldn't help myself from running my thumb along her skin. I then raised her hand gently to my face and placed a few chaste kisses on her knuckles. She shuddered but didn't pull away. I looked at her face and saw her looking at me with the slight smile.

Why would anyone ever thing of hurting her? She was so adorable in everything she did. I reached my hand to gently caress her bruised cheek. I ran my thumb across her cheek lightly and she sighed and leaned into my touch. If I moved a little more I could run my thumb across her lips but now wasn't the right time to show her how I felt. She needed a friend, and I could put her needs before my desires.

Her eyes closed and her breathing evened out. She wasn't quite asleep but she was getting close. I gave up, leaning over and pressing me lips to her bruise. Once, two more times then I moved away from her, rolling to the other side of the bed.

"No please" Paige called out, reaching for me desperately. My stomach flipped as she pulled me back to her and draped her hands over my stomach. "Please just stay with me" she begged and I wondered if she was completely awake or not. "I need you Emily, please just stay" She nuzzled her head to my neck and the feel of her hot breath on my skin sent my thoughts and my body on a roller coaster.

I gripped her tightly in return, putting everything I had into our embrace. "I won't let you go Paige" I whispered softly. She smiled against my neck and I closed my eyes and drifted into a happy slumber, glad to be holding my amazing girl.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N- Lovin the reviews so keep them coming!**

**I'm still kinda new to this whole thing so this story was kind of a test but I'm glad people are liking it. If anyone has any advice or ideas feel free to PM me**

**This is a long one, and probably could have been two or three chapters but I couldn't figure out where I wanted to stop it so I just left it was one big one. Let me know what you think!**

* * *

** Paige POV-**

_Strong arms wrapping around me, pulling me back to the surface. The look on her face when she realised I was ok. The fierce look she had when Chelsea tried to downplay the situation. The way she held my hand in the car, letting me know she was there. Her attention when I told her about my father. The way she kissed my hand when she found the mirror. When she kissed my bruised cheek as i drifted to sleep. The way she said 'I'll never let you go' when I asked her to hold me. _

Last night was… intense. There really wasn't another word I could use to describe it. So many emotions were filling the room and I don't think either one of us had control. I wasn't ready to decide what last night meant about me and Emily but I knew we cared about each other, and whether that was more than friendship I couldn't quite figure out.

I was acutely aware of Emily's arms wrapped around me from behind, her front pressed into my back. I could feel her breath on my neck, it sent warmth through my body. I smiled and opened my eyes, but suddenly the throbbing pain radiated through my head and neck. Oh yeah, not everything about last night was so perfect. The headache was manageable, but what was worse was the neck pain. I didn't notice it last night but now it hurt to move my head. I really didn't want to move from my position in Emily's arms but my neck was stiff as a rod and if I didn't control the pain before she woke up, she might knock me out herself and drag me to the hospital.

I looked at the time. It was only 6:00AM so I didn't need to wake her up for school just yet. I reached down and pulled her hands from around my waist, gently touching her soft skin. I rolled over on my back and quietly sat up from on the bed. I kept my moves slowly and deliberate so I didn't wake her or cause more pain to my neck.

I stopped for a moment to admire the beautiful girl sleeping next to me. She looked so peaceful in her slumber. Her raven hair was in tangles around her face and she almost looked like she was smiling. I almost reached out to cup her cheek but if she woke up it might have made for an awkward situation. _Oh yeah sorry Em, I was just thinking about how sexy you are when you're sleeping so I decided to get all creepy and touch you while you were passed out, hope you're cool with that. _I laughed at how weird I could be in my own head sometimes.

But it was time to admit it to myself. Yes, I thought Emily was sexy. And smart, beautiful inside and out, funny, caring, strong and pretty much everything I didn't know I was looking for. I was still trying to figure out what she meant to me, but after last night I was pretty sure I wanted to be with her at more than a friend. I looked at her lips, her full perfect lips. I really wanted to know what they would feel like against my own. They felt so perfect on my skin last night I couldn't image what it would be like if they were moving together with my own. My stomach flipped at just the thought.

I stood up from the bed, making my way to the kitchen to get Tylenol and a drink. I looked at my reflection in the kitchen window. Well that life ring surely left its mark. I had a deep purple bruise on my cheek that stretched around to the side of my head as well. I sat at up on the counter and continued thinking about my infatuation with Emily.

I had never really considered that I might be gay. I never had a problem with it, one of my good friends was gay in Philly. I helped him when he was coming out in freshmen year, it was tough for him but he did alright. It was a disaster when my parents found out about him though. My dad made it seem like the world was coming to an end just because my friend was gay. This was the one thing I fought my dad on and actually came out with some success. I was able to hang out with Dan still, just never in my house anymore.

Now that I think about Emily, I definitely have to consider who I really am. I think I really have a shot in being happy with her, I just have to decide how I am going to tell her how I feel. From what I've noticed with Hanna's less than subtle comments and Chelsea's insult last night, I'm pretty sure Emily is gay. I practically did a happy dance at the thought that she might actually like me back, Hanna sure seemed to make it appear that way.

"What are you smiling about?" I looked up to see Emily standing a few feet away from me leaning against the wall. She was still wearing my cotton shorts and tank top and I couldn't help but let my thoughts spin because she was wearing _my _clothes. I gave my head a shake and focused on looking her in the eye. _Ugh her eyes!_

"Just thinking" I answered simply.

She looked at my face and that look of concern took over her face again. "How's your head feeling today? I'm hoping it looks worse than it feels"

"Umm.. it's a little sore but it could be worse. I think I'll be alright, it's just a bruise and a small headache" I explained lightly. Emily rolled her eyes. There was just no way to look her in the eye and make a lie believable.

"That's it, we're taking today off school and you're getting checked out" I began to protest but she cut me off. "Relax! I thought about it and we don't have to go to the emergency room. Spencer's brother-in-law is a doctor I'll give him a call and let him know we're stopping by. That way, if it's nothing then you won't have to tell your parents and I'll be satisfied that you're actually alright."

"Emily you should really go to school, I can get myself to the hospital" I didn't want her to skip school just because of me.

"Nope! I already called my mom and explained, and she thinks I should go with you to make sure you're alright! I also called Wren…umm I mean Dr. Kingston, already as well so you really have no say in this I'm sorry to tell you" She smiled at me.

"You're relentless, Fields." I had no choice but to give into her. "But what about swim practice, because you are _not _missing the second practice because of me I don't care if I have permanent brain damage and slip into a coma!"

She glared at me, apparently not liking my joke. "Funny, Paige. But we can drive to practice after your our visit with Wren. If you're not injured to bad, you can practice and if you are, well you'll have to have a talk with Coach Fulton" Oh, right. Even if I didn't have any serious injuries I still had a pretty big bruise that she would no doubt ask about.

"I'll have to think on that one" I sighed. I didn't know if I wanted to tell the truth or not. I pushed that thought from my mind though, I was going to have a day with Emily Fields all to myself. I wanted to make the best of that despite the circumstances. I wanted her to see that I wasn't always drama and pain, I actually did have a fun side.

**Emily's POV- **

"So Em, what are you making me for breakfast?" Paige looked at me, sweetly batting her eyelashes and smiling softly. I was momentarily distracted because of how flipping adorable she looked, perched on the counter in her short shorts and tank top.

I played along, keeping my composure "What makes you think you deserve breakfast there, Superstar?"

"Pleeeeeeeeease, Em? "she whined and jutted her lower lip out into the cutest pout I have ever seen.

"Not a chance" I smiled at her and folded my arms, holding my ground.

"Oh C'mon! Look at me! I just suffered a head injury and you won't even pour me a bowl of cereal?" she jumped off the counter and walked towards me. There goes my composure. She walked right up to me and I swear, for a moment I thought she was going to pull me in and kiss me but she just reached around me and took a box of Cheerios from the counter. How disappointing. She pulled away and smirked at me.

"Has anyone ever told you how freaking cute you are, Paige?" I couldn't help but ask.

"Oh all the time. There's actually a club in Philly called 'We Adore Paige' you should really think about joining"

"Pour your cereal you dork"

Paige poured a couple bowls of cereal and we both began eating in comfortable silence. She looked like she was really concentrating on something but I didn't want to pry to much so I let her think in peace.

"Em… can I ask you something?" she spoke quietly and I noted how nervous she looked.

"You can ask me anything Paige you know that" I looked at her in encouragement.

"You can totally tell me to fuck off if I'm stepping out of line but I'm really curious about what Chelsea said to you yesterday… you know that comment about you being a lesbian?"

I nearly choked on my breakfast as she said the word. What if she wasn't okay with it? We spooned last night and I kissed her cheek! What if she thinks I'm some sort of creep now? I had to be truthful with her though, I owed her that much. She would find out eventually so why put it off. I silently prayed she wouldn't get weirded out.

"I… uuh… Yes. I'm gay, Paige." I finally got the words out. "I'm sorry, I probably should have told you before we slept in the same bed, I hope you don't think I'm a total freak now. I wasn't trying to hide it Paige I swear but I just didn't know how to bring it up without seeming weird. I really hope you're okay with it but I think I already said that so I'm just going to shut up now" I stopped rambling and looked up at her shyly.

She had her head turned to the side and was looking at me thoughtfully. "Chill out Em, I'm cool with it, you don't freak me out, you never will. I kind of suspected before Chelsea said anything, I mean Hanna isn't the most subtle person I've met" Paige grinned at me and I let out a breath I didn't realise I was holding. Her answer meant a lot to me.

"Thank you Hanna." I mumbled sarcastically and Paige laughed. I couldn't help but join in with her, I was so happy she accepted who I am.

We finished our breakfast and went back to Paige's room to get ready. She walked over to her dresser and opened it grabbing a pair of black denims and a red tank top. She then motioned me to come over.

"Pick anything you like, Em, we look pretty much the same size. I don't have anything to 'wow' in here though I'm more of a jeans and a t-shirt kind of girl" she walked to the other side of her room and began changing. I was a little shocked. I thought after I told her I was gay she would be a little more nervous around me but she really seemed to have no issue with who I was. I was impressed.

I took a pair of dark wash skinny jeans and a light blue tank top and quickly changed. I loved this whole, getting to wear her clothes thing. I turned to look at Paige again and noticed her looking at my outfit with a smile.

We walked back out into the living room, Paige leading the way. I couldn't keep myself from staring at her as she was walked in front of me, causing me to whack my foot off the edge of the side table by the couch.

"Fuck!" I let out the curse word mostly in surprise more than pain.

Paige turned and looked at me in mock surprise. "Emily Fields did you just drop the F-bomb? Tisk-tisk just wait till I tell your mother!" she started laughing and poked me in the side. I couldn't help but let out a giggle, I was extremely ticklish. My friends used this against me all the time and I silently hoped Paige wouldn't see my weakness

Paige clearly noticed. She looked at me with an evil smile and raised her hands towards me, wiggling her fingers and approaching me slowly.

My eyes widened. "Paige, don't even think about it!" I squealed and tried to back away but she pushed me down on the couch and began tickling me furiously. We were pretty evenly matched so far. She would tickle me but I was doing pretty good at fighting her off. She ended up on top of me, grabbing at my sides and my feet. I gave her a good shove and she suddenly flopped down on the couch grabbing at her head. I remembered her recent head injury and freaked.

"Paige! Oh my god are you okay?" I sat up and reached for her hand. "I'm so sorry I totally got caught up in the moment and forgot!" I was almost crying at this point, thinking I really hurt her when she tackled me down again, effectively pinning me down and winning our little fight. She looked at my freaked expression and began laughing. She really got me this time.

"That's not funny!" I yelled in embarrassment. "You are seriously a mean person Paige you need to get your head checked" I said the last part lightly and began laughing. "Speaking of getting your head checked, let's go get your head checked." She stood up, reaching her hand out and helping me up from the couch.

Paige looked at me and relented "Fine, but I'm driving there, my car, my head, my rules"

We arrived at Rosewood Community Hospital and asked for Dr. Wren Kingston, explaining this was a pre-planned visit. I could tell that Paige was relieved that we wouldn't be subject to long emergency room waits. A friendly old nurse led us to a private room, warning us that the hospital was busy today and Dr. Kingston may be a little behind schedule. Paige sat up on the examination table and I took a seat in the chair by the door.

"So Dr. Kingston is Spencer's brother in law?" Paige asked

"Yep, he just started at Rosewood Community a couple of months ago. He's fresh out of med-school so he's pretty young"

"Em, do you think he'll.. you know wanna contact my parents?" she looked at me in worry.

"He's a pretty relaxed guy, as long as its nothing serious I doubt it"

She looked relieved at my answer "Oh, okay"

The door opened and Wren walked in, sporting a white lab coat over light blue scrubs. "Emily, so good to see you again, its been a while" I smiled at him. His English accent never failed to amuse me.

"Hey, Wren. I didn't really explain to much over the phone, but my friend here took a pretty good hit to the head last night" I explained.

" must be Paige then." He looked at her and smiled. "Emily here made it sound like you were nervous about getting it looked at. I'm glad you came to me though, I don't mind checking you out" Was it just me that saw the double meaning in his words? He was obviously flirting with Paige. He was charming, there was no denying it and he never failed to use it on cute girls. I should have taken her to the emergency room last night, this was a bad idea.

I glared at him and clenched my jaw to keep from saying anything. Paige seemed oblivious to his flirting though. "Uh.. yeah some girl was a little drunk last night and hit me with one of those hard plastic life rings. I was knocked out for a bit but that's all I really remember, I mean aside from the headache and sore face thing" Paige smiled. I didn't want her to smile at Wren, maybe she found him cute. Most girls did. I took solace in knowing he was married.

"Sounds like quite the night" Wren smirked. "Were you dizzy last night? Did you experience any confusion? Was there any neck pain?" Wren fired off his questions. It was about time he started doing his job.

"Uhm.. yeah I was pretty dizzy and a little fuzzy for a while. My neck wasn't sore last night but it feels pretty stiff this morning" I looked at her in shock. She didn't tell me this when I asked her how she was this morning. Ugh, Paige why can't I just read your mind that would make my life so much easier?

Wren nodded thoughtfully and approached her. "Alright then, let's take a look" He brushed his hands across the bruise on her face and began poking around her left temple. She winced a few times and I really wished I could take her hand. I settled for walking over to them and leaning against the wall next to the examination table.

"Is that tender?" Wren asked.

"Just a little bit. Most of the pain is on my cheek, but the headache is still there"

Wren continued his examination, brushing her hair to the right side and feeling down her neck. He had her look up, down, left and right. I noticed she was trying to hide the pain the movements caused her.

"Looks like that's hurting you quite a bit Paige" Wren had caught on as well.

"Well like I said it feels a little stiff" Paige explained, trying to downplay everything as usual. Wren began rubbing her neck, gently massaging it for her. She let out a sigh and I felt very jealous. I wanted to rip Wrens arms off. Doctor's weren't supposed to do this were they? I glared at him in anger. Couldn't he just hurry it up and tell us if she was alright?

"Ahem, so Wren is her head alright? It's not too serious is it?" Wren removed his hands from her neck and stood back. He began scribbling something on a piece of paper.

"Well, it looks like you took most of the hit to your Zygomatic bone. You can see the bruising there. You're very lucky for this because that's a strong bone and hits there have to be pretty hard to effect the brain. However, the object hit your temporal bone as well… that's where you're headache is coming from. From the symptoms you told me and the pain I'd say you likely just got knocked out, maybe a little rattling in your head. And of course one hell of a bruised face" He smiled lightly.

"Does that mean I don't have to sit out of swimming?" Paige asked hopefully. Of course that would be her first question. I was happy that there was no serious damage and she was hoping she wouldn't miss swimming.

"I would advise against any physical activity for at least a week, sorry Paige but no swimming for you. Because unfortunately I'm not quite done my diagnosis" Paige's face fell at the bad news.

"Now for your neck. It looks like you have some minor spraining to your fourth and fifth cervical vertebrae. They didn't look misaligned, be thankful for that because you would have been out of swimming for much longer if that was the case. Anyway in English, you have a little bit of whiplash so try not to move your neck to quick or you might cause some more damage."

"Thanks Dr. Kingston, I'll take it easy for the next few days" Paige was upset again, and looked pretty anxious to leave.

Wren chuckled. "Not so fast! You're going to need a few X-rays just to be sure" Paiged groaned and slumped back down on the table. "Relax, its just routine and if they don't find anything serious you will be on your way. I'm also writing you a medical note to give to your coach. Emily I will trust you make sure this gets to the coach? If you re-injure yourself it could cause long term, serious damage Paige"

I looked at Wren. "Of course, I'll make sure she's taken care of" I explained with honesty. Paige wasn't going to dip a toe in the water until next week, I would make sure of it.

"Right, well you two can hang out here if you'd like, a nurse will be along shortly to take Paige to the radiology clinic. It was nice meeting you Paige and good to see you again Emily" He tore of a piece of paper and handed Paige's medical note to me.

"Thank you Wren, I'll see you around" He turned and walked out the door.

It was completely silent in the room and I could tell how upset Paige was. I walked over to her and put my hand on her knee. "Paige—"

"I don't wanna talk about it, Em. I hate missing practice. How am I going to explain this to my dad?" She turned away from me, lying back on the table face down. I propped myself up, sitting on the edge and began to rub the small of her back in comfort.

We remained silent until a nurse came in and took us to the Radiology clinic. We sat in the small waiting area and noticed how busy it was. Great. Paige was going to hate me after forcing her to do this. I wouldn't apologize though, I had to know that she was alright.

It was about two hours before Paige was taken away for her X-ray. And another half hour before she came back into the waiting area. We didn't talk much and finally, after another hours wait the nurse called Paige into a room and explained that nothing was found, just as Wren suspected. We left the Hospital just in time to start driving to swim practice.

"Is there any way I can convince you to rip that note up?" Paige asked hopefully as she drove towards the school.

"Not a chance Paige, I'm not risking your health just so you can swim a few laps this week" She rolled her eyes and focused on the road. I knew she wasn't really mad at me, but it sucked that she was being this way about it. I was really concerned about her and it was relieving to know it was only a minor injury.

**Paige's POV**

We pulled into the parking lot of the school and I marched towards the natatorium without another word to Emily. She walked beside me in silence, I wasn't really blaming her and she didn't deserve to see my temper tantrum but I was still trying to come up with a way to keep this from my father. I huffed and decided it was pointless, I would have to tell him, just the same way I would have to explain this to the Coach.

"Em, give me the medical note, I should be the one to explain this to Coach Fulton"

"Are you going to tell her what happened? I mean the whole swim team knows so she's going to notice the tension" Emily looked at me and I knew the last part was her subtle attempt at asking me to tell the truth about my injury.

"Sorry, Em, you know I can't do that. Sometimes its better to let things go. You saw how well it worked last time Coach Fulton was warned" When I saw the hurt in Emily's eyes I immediately regretted what I said. "No I didn't mean it like that! It's just pointless to make an issue out of this in my mind. I'm thinking about the rest of the team Em, I can't always think about myself"

"Do you _ever_ think about yourself?" She muttered, almost to quiet for me to hear. She handed me the note and I walked past the locker rooms towards Coach Fulton's office. Emily looked like she was going to follow but I waved my hand at her so she turned for the locker room as I knocked lightly on the open door to the Coach's office.

"Come in Paige" she looked up at me, her face quickly turning to shock as she took in my bruised left side. "Oh, goodness! What happened to you?" Crap. I guess I should have decided on an excuse if I wasn't going to tell the truth. I handed her the medical note and while she read over it my mind came up with a reasonable story.

"Well… I was out for a jog downtown yesterday and someone opened their car door while I was running by and hit me right in the face. It's not as bad as it looks, I hope that dumb note explains that part. Emily saw me and forced me to go to the hospital today and I guess I have to sit out for a week" I kept the details simple, hoping it was believable.

"Well it sounds like you were very lucky, and I'm glad Emily took care of you, I have a feeling you would have been too stubborn on your own to get yourself looked at" She laughed lightly

"Yeah lucky me" I mumbled.

She just laughed again. "It's only a week and you're swimming is impressive, Paige I'm not at all worried about your times. Just make sure you let yourself heal. You should still attend practice this week but you can just help me time and help the newer students with their form"

Well, it was better than being told to just go home. We walked out to the pool and most of the girls were filing out of the change room and starting their warm up laps. I looked around for Emily and noticed her swimming in the lane closest to me and the Coach.

This was the first time I saw her swim and I don't think I could forget it. Seeing her lean body cut through the water was incredible. She moved with such grace and strength that it almost looked like a performance. Not only was she moving though the water with such beauty but her form was impeccable and she was _fast. _The way Emily moved it was obvious she put her heart and soul into swimming. She swam for herself, pure enjoyment, nothing else. Okay there was no longer any question. I was into Emily Fields, I had it bad for her and I felt no shame for my feelings. I was so busy gawking that I didn't hear the Coach's instructions.

"Paige?" Coach Fulton asked

"Sorry…uuuuh what was that?" I looked at her and tried to focus.

"I said, did you want to time Emily? Her times are pretty close with the ones your dad sent me so I figure you to partnering up during practices will motivate you guys to do better." She handed me a stopwatch and moved on to speak with the some of the other girls. She blew her whistle and gave everyone instructions on what to do. Everyone had a partner who timed them and they would take turns in each stroke. Today was pretty much just a test of our basic abilities. More conditioning and form work would take place for the rest of the week.

I walked over to Emily and she smiled at me. "Howdy partner" she winked and eyed my stop watch.

"I'm going to pretend you didn't say that" We walked to the lane she warmed up in and she got on the starting blocks. We went through each stroke three times. Her times were nothing short of amazing, obviously. Coach was right, they were very close to mine. Like me, she excelled in front stroke and butterfly, her other times were good as well. Practice went quickly when I didn't have to dwell on sitting out, especially if it meant I got to watch Emily swim.

I sat in the locker room and I waited for Emily to get showered and changed so I could give her a ride to Spencer's to pick up her own car. A few of the girls chatted with me, asking how I was but no one mentioned what happened. Chelsea and Megan didn't so much as look at me or say a word and most of the girls looked at me apologetically, I was glad to know this didn't affect my relationship with the rest of the team. Emily came back from her shower in only a towel so I conveniently went to the bathroom so I wouldn't torture myself. I went back as Emily was closing her locker, ready to head home.

Emily looked at me and smiled. There was something in her eyes though, determination maybe? "I just have to take care of one more thing" With that she walked over to Chelsea's locker.

Emily grabbed Chelsea by the shoulder, looked her keen in the eye and snapped her arm back, punching her square in the jaw. "I shouldn't have to explain what that's for" It happened so quick that most of the girls were just turning to see the confrontation after it already happened.

Chelsea was rubbing her jaw, looking at Emily in shock. "Did you seriously just sucker punch me?"

"Trust me, you deserve so much worse and everyone here knows it. I dare you to tell Coach Fulton about this, Paige lied for you but I'm not that forgiving. No one likes a rat Chelsea, remember?" Emily spoke passively, and honestly it was more terrifying than hearing her yell.

Chelsea looked like she was about to retaliate but I wouldn't have that. I stepped in, grabbing Emily's hand and pulling her away. "Come on, Em. She's not worth it." I squeezed her hand and we walked out of the locker room to my car.

"Emily—"

"Paige, just don't say anything. I did what I had to and I don't want to hear you say it" She looked at me pleadingly.

"Do you want to go get dinner?" I blurted out. Like usual when I was talking to Emily, the words came out before I thought them through.

"uh—what?" she asked, looking very confused.

"Do you want to go get dinner before I take you to Spencer's? We don't have to, I was just wondering." My brain seriously needs to learn to keep up with my mouth.

"no—I um… I would like that actually" She smiled at me and climbed into the passenger side of my car. I quickly got in the driver's side and started the car.

"So, where's a good place to eat?"

"Oh, we can just go to the McDonalds uptown if you want" She looked sort of embarrassed and I couldn't figure out why

"Em, I said a good place to eat. And besides no McDonalds for us anymore, we're in training" I smirked at her.

She laughed and thought for a moment. "Well the Applerose Grill is nice, and there's Linguini's, it's a little more fancy" she explained.

"Linguini's it is then" I said simply. It was right downtown, a few blocks from The Brew so I didn't have trouble finding it.

We walked in and a friendly host greeted us. "Hello ladies, table for how many?" He looked at Emily and his eyes widened. He looked her up and down, obviously checking her out. Guys were so obvious sometimes. Oh buddy, if you only knew how _not_ her type you are.

"Ahem, Just the two of us" I smiled at him and he focused on me again. Emily was right about the place being fancy, we were pretty underdressed compared to everyone else but that didn't bother me much. Emily deserved a nice dinner. The host led us to a quiet corner of the restaurant and the waiter came quickly to take our orders.

"My friend Kelly would love Rosewood" I said, making conversation. "She has a thing for these types of places with locally owned shops and what not. She'll probably be visiting this weekend, She is going to want a full tour of this place" I looked up to see her listening intently as usual.

"Tell me more about her, I want to know what your friends in Philly are like"

"Well she's been my best friend since the first day of high school. We just clicked ya know? She's very trendy I guess you could say. She loves shopping, girl talks, that kinda thing. She's basically Hanna but a little more reserved. She has a big heart too. She helps me a lot when it comes to my family issues. She wouldn't hurt anybody on purpose and I've seen her take guys down a couple levels when she's caught them bullying younger kids. She's just a good person" I liked telling Emily about her and I hoped they would meet soon. I would have to introduce her to Hanna, I feel like they would instantly love each other.

"Wow..she sounds amazing., and a lot like you in some ways" Emily smiled.

I laughed. "Yeah we bicker a lot about our differences of opinion but in the end we've always been there for each other and always will"

"does she know about…" Emily paused.

"No. I know it sounds lame but I didn't want her to worry about me. She feels awful enough as it is that my dad forced me to move here. If she knew I was miserable she would probably come here with a moving van and drag me back to Philly" I laughed because I knew it was true.

"Are you Paige? Still miserable I mean?" She looked a little hurt and I was about to explain but the waiter arrived with our food. We ate in silence for a minute but I needed to answer her.

"I'm miserable about the reasons I'm here. I'm not here by choice and its effecting the way I like this place. And of course the situation with Chelsea has been tough. I've never been picked on like this before. I always had a good group of friends so I never had to deal with anything like that. It's really…depressing. But, I have friends now, and that helps. Emily, you've made being in Rosewood a lot nicer. Don't tell anyone but I think I'm actually starting to like this place" I laughed and she started laughing with me.

"Thanks for being honest with me Paige. I'm glad to hear things are getting better. I honestly was worried about you on the first day. I know that sounds weird but you looked so sad" She looked down as she spoke.

"Yeah well my welcoming committee did a shit job. I mean, threats, a ruined lunch, an attempted drowning and being knocked out are not really the nicest things to deal with when you're starting over. But maybe other people like that sorta thing but not me" I joked.

"Attempted drowning? Didn't that come after the being knocked out part?" she looked confused.

Shit. I never told her about that. "Well, you're not gonna like this but you know that day I was swimming at lunch, and you were talking to Coach Fulton?"

Her expression dropped and she stared at me. "Yes"

"Well, long story short, they weren't very happy about me being in the pool at lunch" I smiled sheepishly.

Emily dropped her fork. She glared at me and her hands started trembling. "While I was right there?! With Coach Fulton. Ugh I can't believe this! You should have—"

"Said something I know, I know"

"Those girls are gonna get what they deserve" She mumbled that look of determination returned to her eyes. I reached out and took her trembling hand. I meant for it to be a brief comforting touch but I suddenly didn't want to take my hand away.

"Em, like I said before it's not worth it" She looked down at my lingering hand so I removed it, placing my hands firmly under the table so I couldn't get myself into more trouble.

"You're worth it, Paige, believe me" Again, I almost didn't catch her whisper but her words ran clear in my mind, setting off those butterflies in my stomach.

"Anyway, enough about my life, I need to hear some stuff about you. Parents? Any drama there? Are you an only child? And your swimming…Em, I know I said it before but your times were amazing today, do you plan on swimming in college?"

"Jeeze, Paige! One question at a time"

"Sorry, but start answering or ill fire off some more"

"Alright, alright. I'll start with the easy one. Thanks, yes I love swimming and I plan on swimming in college. Danby showed some interest in me last year so I'm thinking about going there maybe, but I'm open to other offers if I get them"

"you will" I said immediately.

"no more compliments about my swimming, besides its my turn to talk." I made a motion of zipping my lips and she broke out in her beautiful smile. "And I am an only child. There's no drama in my family really. My dad is in the army, he's overseas right now on a 6 month rotation. It's tough, I'm very close with him and it's hard not to worry. Some days are harder than others, I mean I try to ignore the news otherwise I'd be in bed all day worried sick. My mom's the same way."

"I'm so sorry, Em" I said sincerely. I saw the way she looked when she mentioned her dad. She misses him and its almost heartbreaking. "I can't imagine how hard that is on you and your mom"

"Like I said, some days are harder than others but we're there for each other. I wasn't always so close with my mom. When I came out to her things were… the worst. My dad was accepting but my mom had so many dreams for me that suddenly seemed to be crushed. But lately, after my first real girlfriend left, well she's been a lot more accepting. Things are great between us now, I feel like I can finally be open with her. Now she just wants to find someone who will be good to me" She smiled and I realised that Emily had been through a lot more than I ever knew.

"She sounds like she's really come around. Things were that bad when you came out?" I asked curiously.

"Well, my first and only girlfriend, Maya was a bit of a handful. I didn't understand at the time but now it makes sense. She was a party girl and a bit of a bad seed. My mom caught her smoking weed numerous times, once even on our property. I liked her a lot but I was kind of blinded because she was my first real girlfriend" she explained.

"What ever happened with her?"

"not much to tell. She moved away and we fell apart. We wouldn't have lasted anyway, I'm sure. I just didn't see it at the time. She made me brave though, so I'll always remember her in a good way" I loved how honest Emily was with herself. It was admirable.

"I don't mean to be weird but you mentioned she was your first 'real' girlfriend. Was there something else before her?"

"Yeah. There was my friend Allison who I was in love with. That was a complicated thing. I was crazy in love with her and she knew it. She went missing two years ago and they found her body last year. She was murdered. Luckily they caught Ian, the killer a few weeks after finding her. It was hard not knowing what happened but me and the girls finally got some closure when Ian was caught" She spoke sadly but she smiled. She had to deal with this but I could tell she had come to terms with it.

"Emily, you've really surprised me tonight. I didn't know how much you really had going on in your life"

"Yeah but it's all in the past. I'm happy now and that's what matters."

We finished eating and as much as Emily tried to stop me, I paid for our meals. We drove to Spencer's in comfortable silence. I parked on the street and got out to walk her to the door.

Emily turned to look at me when we got to Spencer's door, "Paige, I need to ask you something. Was tonight meant to be like… are you.. ugh! Was tonight supposed to be a date?" she looked down in embarrassment. I walked closer to her and took her hand. I had made my decision earlier tonight that I wouldn't hide my feelings from myself anymore so I might as well put it out there.

I looked at her and forced myself to be confident. "Em, if tonight was supposed to be a date, I would have done this…"

I leaned into her, pressing my lips to hers. It felt so much better than I had imagined it. The kiss was soft but I put everything I had into it, I wanted her to know how I felt. I was so absorbed that it took me a moment to realise that she wasn't kissing me back. I pulled away immediately, feeling the most humiliated I ever had in my life. Why did I just kiss her? I should have asked her if she liked me, not acted so rashly.

"Em.. oh my god I'm sorry, I thought—I mean I didn't think—I shouldn't have assumed you would like me just because I know you like girls!" she looked so confused but there was a fire in her eyes. That determined look. Was she going to hit me? I surely disserved it for acting so stupid. I turned to walk away when she grabbed my shoulder and spun me around.

"Emily, please.."

"Shut up, Paige" She grabbed me by the waist and pulled me in, pushing me against the door and she kissed me hard. If I thought the first kiss was amazing this was something completely different. _Emily Fields was kissing me! _There was so much passion as our lips moved together. I cupped her neck as she sucked on my lower lip. I couldn't help but let out a moan and she slowly pulled away so out faces were just inches apart. I rested our foreheads together and looked straight into her beautiful brown eyes.

I was still to breathless from our kiss so she spoke first. "You know, for claiming that you didn't date much you sure know how to sweep a girl off her feet" she exclaimed, breathless as well.

"I like you a lot, Em. You're amazing" It sounded so lame but it was all my head could come up with right now as I felt her hot breath on my face.

She kissed me again, softer this time and smiled into my lips. "I think you know I feel the same way about you" she lifted her one hand from my waist and took laced it with my free hand.

"Yup, I really think I'm starting to like Rosewood" She laughed and pulled away slightly, still keeping our hands laced together.

"It's getting late, and as much as I hate it, I really need to get home. It's been over 24 hours since I've seen my mom and she's probably going to call any minute. But Paige, can we just—"

"Not mess around and make this," I pointed at us "official?"

"There is nothing more I wanted than to hear those words come out of your mouth"

"So I'll see you at school tomorrow…girlfriend?" I winked at her. Saying those words, calling Emily my girlfriend was something else.

"You're so cheesy. But I like it. Yeah I'll see you tomorrow. Drive save please, and text me when you're home" She leaned in and gave me a soft, lingering kiss. "Yep, I can definitely get used to this"


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N- Pretty much just a simple chapter filled with those Paily moments that everybody loves...yeah that's about it**

**Emily's POV-**

I woke up Wednesday morning with a sudden burst of happiness. I've always been an optimistic person but today it's on a whole new level. Last night with Paige was incredible. When you like someone that much and to find out they like you back, it's something else entirely. Dinner had surprised me, the way she was acting made it seem like a date but I couldn't be sure. I was baffled when she walked me to the door of Spencer's house last night and I couldn't keep myself from asking whether or not it was a date. Asking her was nerve racking but I felt like we were close enough that even if she was weirded out we would have moved passed it.

I never expected she would actually kiss me. And then say she wanted to be my _girlfriend_. Last night was perfect and now this morning, I'm up extra early because I just want to see Paige. It's really early but I just couldn't get back to sleep knowing I would see her today. I made sure I didn't mention anything to Spencer or my mom last night car because I wanted Paige to be comfortable and come out on her own terms. I would wait if that was what she needed. I couldn't resist the urge to see her any longer, so I got ready quickly and left my house to head for The Brew and surprise her with breakfast at her apartment.

I tapped lightly on her door, wondering if she would still be a sleep although I doubted it. She seemed like an early riser from the couple of times I saw her in The Brew. She opened to door and I saw the beautiful face I had dreamt about last night. She smiled at me and then a look of guilt crossed her features. I looked her up and down and noticed she was dressed in work out gear. She was so busted. The fact that I would have to keep an extra eye on her for the rest of the week annoyed me… who am I kidding I actually loved the idea.

"Going somewhere?" I asked her knowingly

"I—uh…no?" her lie was pretty shameful and she knew it.

"Paige, Paige, Paige. What part of no physical activity do you not understand? You, missy are terrible at following orders. I hope you weren't planning on joining the military because you wouldn't last a day at someone telling you what to do" I patronized her jokingly.

She groaned and opened the door wider, motioning for me to come inside. "I was just going to go for a light jog. You know keep my cardio up? I need to stay fit if I'm going to be missing practices this week" She explained.

"Stay fit? Seriously Paige it would take a lot more than a week of no exercise for you to fall behind" I rolled my eyes at her as a walked to her kitchen and placed her coffee and bagel on the counter.

"Fine. Let me go get changed" she grumbled, marching to her bedroom and slamming the door.

"Good morning to you to!" I called sarcastically.

She came out dressed for school in a simple pair of jeans and a black v-neck that hugged her perfect body nicely. I looked her up and down appreciatively and smiled at her.

"Much better!" I went to hand her the coffee but she pushed my hand back to the counter, leaning in to me and giving a soft kiss to my lips. She wrapped her hands around my waist and I returned the kiss with the same amount of passion.

"Good morning" She breathed. Smiling as she pulled away from me, grazing my arms as she did moved. She reached for her coffee and perched herself up on the counter, apparently no longer upset about being scolded by me.

"That's better as well" I joked.

We drove to school in my car, and I was suddenly very nervous about how to act with her in public. She never said she didn't want people to know but I knew how hard it could be to first come out. We pulled in the parking lot and by this point I had freaked myself out. What if I did something to upset her today while we were in front of everybody? She must have noticed my nervous behavior because she walked over to me and took my hands in hers.

"Em, I'm not worried, so you have no reason to be. I know who I am and there is no reason to hide it from anyone, to hide _you _from anyone. Actually if it's okay with you, I'd like to scream from the rooftop that you're mine" She joked. How she could go from so sweet to so funny in a matter of two sentences was beyond me. She leaned in, giving me a quick kiss on the cheek and we began walking towards the school, hand in hand. How had nobody else fallen for this girl before me? There was just no way that was possible, Paige must be quite the heartbreaker in Philly.

My morning went by painfully slow as a waited for lunch time. No doubts this time that Paige would be joining me and the girls for lunch. I couldn't wait to tell them about me and Paige, although I was sure I was going to hear it from Hanna for not calling her the moment we made it official. I smiled as the bell rang and I practically ran from the class to my girlfriend's locker to meet her, beating her there.

"excited to see somebody?" Paige asked me as she approached me.

"Well yeah there's this girl, she's pretty amazing and I want to show her off to my friends" I looked at her and raised my eyebrows.

She made a motion of looking around the hallways for this 'girl' and then looked back to me, pointing at herself and opening her mouth widely in shock. Again she was always so freaking adorable and funny. I burst out laughing at her and she joined in with her soft laugh. I took her hand and dragged her in the direction of the courtyard.

"Come on, cutie, let's go have lunch"

Upon walking towards my friends, hand in hand with Paige, the girls took in the site before them. Spencer looked surprised. She was always so observant except when it came to relationships. Aria looked at us happily and of course, Hanna was bouncing in her chair and squealing with joy.

"I knew it!" She yelled as we sat down. "I mean, I knew Emily liked you Paige and it was only a matter of time. Emily has a way with the ladies" I reached over hit her in the hand for her embarrassing comment but she dodged it and continued her ramblings. "Chill, Em. I would yell at you for not telling me whenever it happened but I'll give you a free pass considering Paige lives alone and I can only imagine what you two kids were doing last night"

"Hanna!" We all yelled, including Paige. Spencer reached over and gave her the usual swat in the back of the head.

"Yeah, yeah well I don't wanna hear you deny it because that is also only a matter of time IF it hasn't happened yet. She lives _alone _for crying out loud! Speaking of which, Paige, you live alone! That's awesome and we are having a girls night this Friday so don't make any other arrangements. The five of us at your apartment, I'll bring the Pizza and drinks"

Aria spoke up looking at Paige, "That's Hanna's way of saying we're so happy for you guys and we would love to hang out with you more sometime"

"And also Hanna, we've been dating since last night, I think around 8:30 it became official if you must know every single detail. We haven't even been together for 24 hours so can you cool it with your assumptions, you're embarrassing me" I huffed out.

Paige looked over at me and placed her hand on my thigh. She absentmindedly ran her hand up and down the length of my leg, driving me wild. "It's fine, actually thank you guys for being so welcoming, it's nice to know Emily has good friends like you. And I would love to spend more time with you so Friday night at my place sounds perfect. My friend Kelly should be coming for a visit and she would love to meet you guys" Paige smiled at them and I couldn't believe she agreed to let Hanna take over the apartment. I would have to make sure this didn't become a usual thing for Paige's sake.

Hanna squealed with excitement. "This is so awesome! You really have good taste, Em. Be careful because I might just steal Paige away from you" She winked at Paige and I rolled my eyes. The rest of the girls burst out laughing and I knew Paige would have no trouble fitting in to the group.

Hanna forced every detail out of Paige about what happened last night, squealing and sighing at every romantic thing Paige said. Hearing Paige explain it was amazing and I could help but reach over and give her a kiss on the cheek every so often, my way of letting her know she was torturing me with how completely irresistible she could be.

Spencer then asked about the situation on Monday night and I tensed as Paige explained the confrontation, mostly focusing on the fact that she couldn't participate in swim practice for the rest of the week. This launched her and Spencer into a conversation about sports and hating rest time after injuries. Their thoughts were on the same wavelength about the stupidity of it and they continued their animated complaints. Spencer better not encourage her to disobey the note or I would have to have a very meaningful conversation with her.

I was secretly grateful that Spencer liked Paige though. If Spencer had any doubts about her it would have made things very difficult so it was nice to have her approval. Aria and Hanna seemed to really like Paige as well, making me glad that I didn't have to worry about my friends anymore. The cat was out of the bag for me and Paige when it came to my friends, and it was great.

**Paige's POV**

Friday afternoon came much quicker than I expected, as the rest of the week went by blissfully. Aside from not being able to swim, I was really happy with my life. Being with Emily, even if it's only been a few days has been amazing. Of course, she's been going out of her way to meet me extra early in the mornings and texting me through the evenings to make sure I'm not sneaking in any work outs or going to the pool. I have been playing it up a little, threatening to go for early morning jogs everyday so each morning she would come to the apartment just a little bit earlier. Everything seems to be falling into place, and tonight is going to be a blast, especially since Kelly would be joining us. I really missed my friends from Philly and was glad that my best friend was making time for a visit.

We drove back to my apartment after swim practice to await Kelly's arrival and set up for 'Hanzilla takeover night' as Emily phrased it.

"So is Kelly alright with you being gay? Like do you think she will get freaked out if we like, hold hands or something?" Emily asked nervously. She was being fidgety ever since we got to the apartment.

"Uuuh.. actually, Em, I haven't exactly told her yet?" I was being a little bit mean considering I told Kelly yesterday over the phone. She was typical Kelly, nothing but accepting although she said she was very surprised. She couldn't wait to meet Emily and I really couldn't wait to show Emily off to my best friend.

"YOU WHAT?" Emily yelled. "Paige were we like, gonna keep this a secret from your friends? I mean I…well… if that's what you want it's fine but I think Hanna will let something slip, you know how she gets" If Emily looked nervous before it was nothing compared to how she looked now. She looked completely terrified.

"I figured she'd just see us making out tonight and catch on" I explained, hoping she would realise that I was completely joking.

It didn't work out that way. Emily's face dropped and she wandered over to the window in the living room. Damn. I meant it as a joke and she seemed pretty upset now. I walked up behind her and wrapped my arms tightly around her waist. She tensed a little so I leaned in close to her ear, placing a few kisses on her neck.

"I'm just kidding" I whispered softly in her ear.

Emily elbowed me hard in the gut causing me to grunt. Damn she could really pack a punch if she wanted to.

"So not funny, Paige!" she pouted and walked away from me.

I laughed lightly and she turned to glare at me "Oh C'mon you have to admit it's a little bit funny! You should have seen your face" she stared me down so I tried to control my laughter.

"I've been freaking out all day about what your best friend is going to think about me and you're just making jokes? I want her to really like me Paige, she's a big part of your life"

"She's gonna like you just fine, Em. In fact, I'm a little worried she might try and steal you from me when she finds out how wonderful you are" I laughed again.

"PAIGE! Can you pretend like this is important for one second?"

"It is important, but I'm not worried because I know she will like you. But if you really want her to like you, work on that temper, she doesn't like it when people yell at me"

"Uggggh! You're so annoying" She turned to walk away again so I caught her arm and pulled her in for a hug.

"Em, relax. You're amazing there is nothing Kelly won't like about you. Kelly basically likes anyone that smiles and says hello so you'll be fine" she reluctantly hugged me back and I pulled back a little to give her a quick kiss.

"No joke though, I'm worried about her and Hanna being in the same room. I don't think any of us will be able to get a word in between the two of them" I poked Emily on the nose and she laughed. Everything was good and I think I finally calmed her down just as there was a knock on the door. She jumped out of our embrace and straightened up, fixing her already perfect hair. I rolled my eyes and went in for one last kiss before going and answering the door.

"Paaaaiiiige!" Kelly pulled me into a bear hug "I've missed you bestie!"

"Cant. Breath." she laughed and let me go. "I've missed you to, Kel" I smiled at her and led her inside.

Kelly took one look at Emily and dropped her bags, gasping and looking at me questioningly. "That's Emily? This is your girlfriend?" she looked flabbergasted. Great. And Emily thought Kelly would be the one to get weirded out.

"Yes, and you are freaking her out by talking like she's not even here so can you be normal for five seconds please" I begged

"Holy, shit Paige! She's gorgeous! How did you…?" Kelly stared and Emily began shifting awkwardly, not sure what to say

I slapped my hand to my forehead. "Thanks for the support, Kel. Now can you stop staring. I actually like her and she looks like she's about to bolt" I joked and Emily shot me a frantic look.

"Sorry Paige, but seriously? Good job. I'm pretty speechless right now" Kelly shook her head. "I'm Kelly, I'm sure Paige has told you all about me though. She tells me all about you. All the time. It's a little creepy"

Emily laughed "I'm Emily, and it's nice to meet you. Paige does talk about you…mostly nice things" Emily joked

"Don't believe any of the bad things, Emily. It's all lies." Kelly quipped back. "Don't think I didn't notice the giant ass bruise on your face by the way, Paige, I was just too busy admiring your girlfriend, but what the hell happened to you?" Kelly asked. Emily shot me a look but I ignored it.

"You should see the other girl" I joked lamely. "Just a little swimming incident, and before you ask, yes you can get injured in swimming. And Emily is a swimmer too so think again before you decide to tell me it's not a real sport because Emily will probably kick your ass before I do"

"Fine I won't even go there. But I can see why you what made you change teams, Paige. Emily I don't really know you but from everything Paige babbles on about you seem pretty cool."

"Kelly, you're making me seem like some kind of obsessed stalker!"

"Well the way you've been talking to me I assumed you were" Kelly retorted.

"You guys remind me a lot of Spencer and Hanna" Emily added.

Kelly turned her attention to Emily, "I'm actually already kind of mad at you, I mean you kinda stole Paige away from Philly and now I don't think I'll have a chance of getting her to move back with you here"

"Yeah I don't know if I want to give her back just yet" Emily joked. "Besides, Paige actually admitted to me that she liked Rosewood today so she might not even want to go back"

Kelly looked shocked "Traitor!" she yelled at me and hit me in the arm.

"I said no such thing!" I tried to defend myself but it was useless.

Kelly made a deal of ignoring me whilst she and Emily chatted about school and the city. They quickly bonded and I could see Emily relax more as she got acquainted with Kelly. As the afternoon went on I noticed Emily was keeping a careful distance from me, making sure not to touch me in anyway. I tried to hold her hand a few times but she kept moving away so I let it go.

"Are you sure you two are a couple?" Kelly asked suddenly

I shot Kelly a look and Emily looked up confused. "What?"

"I haven't even seen you guys touch each other and I've been here all afternoon. Now I'm no expert but usually new couples are all…couply?"

Emily blushed red in embarrassment. "I just.. well I know this is a lot to take in and I didn't want to make you feel uncomfortable" Emily explained.

Kelly laughed and smiled. "You're a real sweetheart, Em. But it's going to take a lot more than seeing you two hold hands or whatever to make me uncomfortable"

I smiled at Kelly for relieving that tension and reached over and took Emily's hand. Even this small contact caused my stomach to flip. I smoothed my thumb over her soft skin and I couldn't resist leaning over and kissing her cheek softly.

"Much better" Kelly approved. "Now, what exactly are we doing tonight?"

"Knowing Hanna, it will be something involving alcohol and a lot of bad ideas" mumbled Emily.

"Sounds like my kind of Friday night!" Kelly smiled and right on time, there was another knock on the door. Kelly strutted over and opened the door like she owned the place and I rolled my eyes as she introduced herself to Spencer, Aria, and Hanna.

"Are you sure you're okay with them being here tonight?" Emily whispered to me

"Absolutely. Tonight will be fun, no more worrying" I whispered back as I stood up, taking Emily's hands in both of mine and pulling her up and walking with her to greet the girls.

"Party's here!" Hanna called to us, pointing to Aria holding 3 large Pizza boxes. Hanna reached into her large purse and pulled out two large bottles of tequila. "Hope you can hold your liquor Paigey!"

"Oh trust me, Paige will outlast us all, the girl can drink she's got a kidney of steel" Kelly joked.

"Liver" Me and Spencer corrected at the same time. We looked at each other and grinned. Me and Spencer had been hitting it off during lunches at school. I got on well with each of Emily's friends but me and Spencer had this sort of bond because of our competitive nature.

"Same thing!" Hanna defended Kelly. "Now where are your cups? We need to get started!"

The night was going by smoothly. By this point we were all getting pretty drunk and it had become clear to me that Emily was an extreme light weight. She was completely cute though, and a little clingy. She was not really participating in the conversation, too far gone for that but she had a ridiculously cute smile the entire time.

We sat on the floor with her leaning against the couch and I in between her legs. She was being pretty touchy feely, running her hands up and down my legs, over my arms, brushing her fingers along my neck and through my hair. It got distracting a few times, and the alcohol wasn't helping, but I remembered the four other girls in the room and tried to at least pretend to pay attention to their words.

"So Kelly! Tell us more about Paige! Got any good stories? She told us she didn't date but I'd like to hear your thoughts on that" Hanna slurred out. As I figured, they hit it off right away, even making plans to go shopping in Philly sometime over the next couple of weeks.

"Oh Paige'll have to tell you those herself. I've been sworn to secrecy. But she didn't…_date_ much" Kelly smiled suggestively.

"C'mon Paigey! We've been talking about our relationships and stuff all night and you havn't told us anything!" Hanna whined.

"Actually, Hanna, you and Kelly have been talking about Caleb and gawking over boys, the rest of us are just trying to keep up" Spencer interjected. Seeing her drunk was kind of funny. She was very chatty and slurred her words a lot, although it was clear she was making an effort to remain proper.

"I told you there's nothing to tell" I added

Hanna looked to Kelly and she rolled her eyes. "Kelly looks like she thinks there's more to the story! C'mon Paiiigey. I'll tell you stuff about Emily!"

"Hey! S'you guys leave me out of this" Emily slurred out.

"Well I don't see you sticking up for me, babe" I responded. She hit me playfully and when I looked back at her she had that endearing drunk smile on her face. "Tell you what, Hanna. You tell me one thing about Emily, and you can ask me anything about my past. And Kelly will even confirm it for you" I was to drunk to realise what a bad idea this was.

Hanna smiled smugly. "Anything? Alright done deal! What do you want to know about Emily?"

"What's her flaw?" I was seriously curious and the question just sort of came out. I had known her almost two weeks and I could swear the girl was perfect.

"Oh, honey. Didn't you hear? Emily doesn't have any real flaws. She's actually to perfect, that's her flaw"

"That's not true! Theres lots'a stuff wrong with me" Emily tried to defend herself but we all kind of ignored her.

"Alright, alright. She's too trusting. You can't lie to her without feeling like you've murdered a bunch of puppies. It's awful. But flaws… hmmmm well I guess she is very sassy?" Spencer suggested

Aria and Hanna laughed and I joined in. Emily was definitely sassy. "And she's very controlling" Aria added. "But not like Spencer controlling. She can get you to do something and you won't realise it was her idea until after the fact" Aria was right about that. The more I got to know Emily the harder it became to deny her of anything she asked.

"Enoooouuuugh" Emily whined. I turned around in her arms and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. She tried to turn to I would kiss her lips but I wasn't having that right now. I was enjoying her 'sassy' side and kind of liked teasing her a little.

"Alright so that answered your question about Emily, now its my turn" Hanna smiled devilishly.

"Fire away, Hanzilla"

"Have you ever had sex? And if yes you have to give us the story! And if no, I still want details about how far you've been" Hanna looked at me confidently. Yeah she trapped me with that one. Me and Emily still hadn't had that awkward talk.

Emily spoke up, trying to defend me "Paige, you don't have to answer that. Hanna that's not fair Paige and I have only—"

"No, Em. Its fine" I turned to look at her and saw burning curiosity in her eyes to I decided to just tell the truth. The truth was coming out a lot better because of the alcohol anyway.

"Yes, Hanna. I've had sex with a guy before" everyone was looking at me intently, expecting more. "it was last year and I was very drunk and it may have been the worst experience ever. I wasn't ready but I was to dumb and to impaired to be thinking that at the time. There isn't much I regret about my life but that has to be near the top of the list. Anyway it was just the one time and a hardly remember it." I explained. Emily's body tensed and I turned to look at her again, but she looked emotionless, deep in thought I assumed.

Spencer spoke, catching my attention, "Wow. I'm sorta surprised! Not that you've had sex but I never would have thought that you would be the girl to give it up at a party ya know?

"Like I said, it was a mistake. If there's anything I could take back it would be that night"

"Hold up a sec!" Kelly interjected. "Paige, you're making it sound like you've had one weird encounter with a dude and that's it. The truth is, Paige used to have a bit of a reputation as a party girl. She didn't date, but that doesn't mean she didn't… well…" Kelly trialed off.

"I wasn't a slut, Kelly" I yelled. "God! You're making it sound like all I had sex at parties all the time. I just kissed a few guys alright its no big" I spoke the truth. Well at least my embarrassing past was out there now.

"Well don't worry! Even if you'd only kissed a bunch of guys that's a lot more experience than Em!" Hanna said.

"Hanna!" Aria tried to stop her.

"Well Paige should know that Emily is a virgin in all that juicy stuff! I mean aside from kissing Maya and Allison she's got a capital 'V' written all over her" Kelly started laughing and the other girls just rolled their eyes, looking at me and Emily apologetically.

Emily rolled her eyes, grabbed the bottle of tequila and downed the rest of it. "Well, Han, we can't all be as 'friendly' as you used to be"

We continued on with our bickering for a little while longer until Aria and Spencer ended up passing out on the couch together. Hanna and Kelly continued talking about random famous guys they were 'in love' with and Emily pushed me away so she could stand up. I hurried up to help balance her as she made her way to the kitchen.

Suddenly, she grabbed me by the waist and spun me around, pushing me against the wall roughly. She wasted no time and began kissing me before I even had time to process what she was doing. She pushed her tongue along my bottom lip roughly, begging for entrance which I granted her quickly. The kiss was passionate and rough and she clearly dominated it, sucking and biting aggressively which was completely turning me on. She continued kissing me like this while leaning into me and groping my sides. Emily moaned and moved her kisses down my jaw and to my neck, causing me to let out a moan in return. I wanted to turn the tables on her and take control but she completely had me. She pushed me off the wall and stumbled us towards my bedroom quickly closing the door and pushing me down on the bed.

She looked at me and smiled and it was probably the sexiest thing I had ever experienced. It got even better as she slowly crawled on top of me and began kissing me like she did in the kitchen. Her body on top of mine felt amazing and I let my hands roam around to her ass and I placed my hands gently on her firm, perfectly toned cheeks, causing her to moan loudly into my mouth. She moved her lips down my jaw line again, making her way to my neck where she sucked and nipped, surely leaving her mark. Her hands were still roaming up and down my body, landing on my abs and around my waist.

She moved her lips up to my ear and began nipping and whispered, "I want you so bad"

If my stomach wasn't knotted enough, it sure as hell was now. I felt heat rush though my body as her words rang though my entire body. She began toying with the hem of my shirt with one hand and the button of my jeans with the other.

Suddenly, the earlier conversation about mine and Emily's previous sex lives entered my mind and I knew why she was doing this so suddenly. I pulled my face away from hers, I needed to end this before this night became her mistake.

"Emily, stop"

It was probably the hardest thing I've ever done in my life but I pushed Emily's hands away from me, rolling her off me and on to her side, detangling our mess of limbs from each other in an attempt to gain some control of the situation.

A look of disorientation crossed her features and I remembered how drunk she was. That looked was quickly replaced by hurt and confusion as to why I stopped her.

"Don't you want me?" she asked weakly as her eyes began to water. This was breaking my heart even though I knew she would thank me in the morning.

I chuckled lightly. "Babe, more than anything. But you don't need to prove anything to me and I know that's what this is about"

"I don't wanna disappoint you, Paige. You're just going to be waiting for me to be ready now"

"Emily, stopping you was probably the hardest thing I've ever done. You, my dear, are very hard to resist and you use that to your advantage way too much. You have _nothing _to prove, trust me. I don't even count that… moment, last year because I barely remember it. I feel it with you, Em, and I want it to be like that. So even if you're ready, I don't think I am yet" I looked at her and she was staring at me in awe. She looked a little sobered up after my little declaration.

"It's all so new to me and knowing you have so much more experience scares me a little bit" Emily whispered.

"Ugh.. Kelly made it sound so much worse than reality. That's what I was afraid of last year, Em. And that's why I got so drunk and had a meaningless moment with someone. Because I was afraid. But it was a mistake, and Emily, I don't want you to wake up tomorrow morning and look at me as a mistake. I want this to mean something, and being drunk during our first time…"

"why are you so good to me?" Emily asked curiously. She leaned over and placed a soft kiss on my cheek. "Paiiiiige?" Emily looked at me with that same drunk smile again.

"What's up, Em?"

"I think I'm drunk" she burst out in laughter "And I think I'm ready to sleep" she closed her eyes and rolled over on the bed.

"Don't pass out just yet, we need to get you out of those jeans" I walked over to my dresser and grabbed a pair of cotton shorts for her. She moved to the side of the bed and began unbuttoning her jeans. I was surprised she was able to manage that much but she got them down to her knees and looked at me pleadingly. I sighed and pulled her jeans the rest of the way off, and placing her legs through shorts and pulling them up for her. She was really pushing my self control tonight.

I scooted into bed next to her and wrapped my arms around her as she nuzzled her face into my neck. I could feel her smile against my neck so I brushed my fingers through her hair and kissed her forehead softly. "Sweet dreams, Em"

"S'you too" she mumbled out, and we both drifted to sleep.

**Emily's POV-**

My eyes shot open and the brightness was overwhelming. I squeezed them shut tightly again and groaned at the awfulness I was feeling. My head was pounding and my stomach ached as I tried to figure out where I was and what happened last night. It all came back pretty quickly, I was in Paige's bed, we were drinking last night.

_Oh god last night! _After hearing about Paige's history last year something just came over me. I really didn't want to be a disappointment for her so I basically threw myself at her. I must have been awful, sloppy drunk kisses and then trying to have sex with her? Did that really happen? _What if I wasn't enough for her?_ That's I remembered thinking that last night.

Then I remembered her stopping me. I really thought she didn't want me but she explained herself so perfectly and it all made sense. I really was trying to prove something to her and she caught on. I remembered how she looked at me last night with nothing but care and understanding. Emily was right, there was no way I was ready and to try and push her while we were drinking? Ugh I was so dumb sometimes. I really did want Paige and it had terrified me to think she would just be waiting for more but to throw myself at her while I was drunk, and right after she told me she regretting getting her first time because she was _drunk. _'_I don't want you to wake up tomorrow and look at me as a mistake.' _

I slowly opened my eyes and looked around the room to see that Paige wasn't there. I saw the water bottle and Tylenol on the table with a sticky note that had my name scribbled across it. I chugged the water and threw down the pills. I was pretty embarrassed with myself for last night, facing Paige was going to be a nightmare. I knew she would be completely understanding but I made a fool of myself and it was humiliating no matter how I spun it.

As I tried to pull myself out of bed, I got really dizzy and felt a wave of nausea deep in my stomach. I groaned loudly and pushed my head back down on the pillow.

"Someone feeling a little crappy this morning?" I looked up to see Paige leaning in the doorway looking at me with a teasing smile.

I looked at her in embarrassment and her teasing smile quickly disappeared. She walked over to the bed and scooted up next to me. My eyes started watering and she pulled me into a hug, knowing exactly what I needed.

"Emily don't you dare feel bad about last night. I'm not even a little bit bothered by what happened" she ran her fingers through my hair and looked me straight in the eyes. I knew she was telling the truth.

"I know that, Paige. And thank you for not letting anything happen. I'm more upset with myself for being so dumb. I mean you tell me this really sad story about how much you regret your first time and how meaningless it was because you were drunk and I throw myself at you while I'm drunk and its my first time? I don't know what I was thinking. I don't want you to think that I was trying to make our first time meaningless—"

"Emily, shh. Calm down alright? I don't need you to explain yourself. And if it makes you feel any better I think your advantage over me is a lot harder so deal with"

"What advantage?" I asked curiously.

"Well, you've been in real relationships before where you've felt something for the other person. I've never experienced that before you. Those kisses at parties or the dates I've been on never meant anything to me. Now dealing with all of the emotions of being with someone you care about… well I guess that's what scares me. You don't need to say anything about that, I just want you to know that's why I'm not ready yet" She looked at me softly.

I looked deep into her eyes and understood exactly what she meant. But then I remembered her words last night and I had to explain one more thing. "Paige, I didn't lie last night when I said I wanted you, I really do and I'm glad that we both agree that we're not ready. But what I'm getting at is that I can promise you even if… last night would have happened, I could never think of you as a mistake" I leaned in and kissed her on the cheek, hoping she understood what I was getting at.

"Yeah well you're lucky I have some control when it comes to us because you are pretty damn irresistible, and I think I can add that to your small list of flaws" She joked. I playfully hit her arm and smiled, everything was good between us.

"C'mon drunky, let's go get you some greasy breakfast to cure that hangover" she pulled me up slowly and we walked hand and hand to the kitchen where the rest of the girls were already seated having breakfast. Paige fixed me a plate of scrambled eggs and bacon and I noticed Kelly and Hanna were in about the same condition that I was feeling.

"Wow, Em, you look like shit! I'm serious I don't think I've seen you this bad since homecoming last year" Spencer joked. Paige shook her head as if to say 'I don't even want to know'

"This is exactly why I don't drink. Thanks for the amazing idea Hanna" I grumbled at her. I was pretty annoyed with her for making Paige talk about some pretty grim stuff last night, even though it didn't explain my reaction to it I still wanted to blame Hanna just a little bit. Hanna just grumbled in response.

We ate breakfast and Spencer, Aria and Hanna left after thanking Paige for the great night insisting that we do it again soon. I agreed last night was fun but I promised myself to never get that drunk in front of Paige again because if she thought I was irresistible last night she had no idea of the effect she had on me. Well I guess she had a bit of an idea considering.

Kelly was a little worse for wear than me so our grand tour of Rosewood was pretty short lived. As Paige had predicted, Kelly loved the town and all of the tiny shops, although she still insisted that Paige find a way to move back to Philadelphia. I tensed a little as I imagined Paige moving away from me, it had been less than a week but she was becoming such a big part of my life already and I wasn't ready to think about losing that.

We were sitting in the park and Paige insisted on getting us some ice cream, leaving me and Kelly alone for a few minutes.

"You know, I always wondered if Paige would ever find someone to date. She is always so selective about who she opens up with. I guess I always assumed it would be some sensitive, fun jock dude, but I like you a lot more" Kelly laughed lightly.

"So, you're okay with this then? Paige being gay doesn't bother you?" I asked.

"Well it was definitely surprising but I think you're exactly what Paige needs right now especially considering her family issues"

"Yeah, I have a feeling what she told me about her family was only just the beginning"

"She'll tell you more in time. Emily, Paige thinks she's good at hiding stuff from me but I can see that she doesn't like Rosewood. I'm guessing it's not just from the forced move?"

Kelly was a very intuitive person. "There's been some problems with a couple girls from school, but it's over now, I took care of it. I wouldn't let anyone hurt Paige, I promise" I spoke sincerely.

"I figured as much. Like I said, Paige opens up when she's ready. Emily, I do trust you but Paige is my best friend and I've seen her go through enough to know she struggles with herself more than other people. Even if things don't work out between you two I need you to promise me you'll look out for her" Kelly really cared about Paige, it was obvious. I was glad that Paige had a friend like this.

"Of course. I promise to look out for her no matter what"

"Thank you, it means a lot. And just because I'm her best friend I should probably mention that if you personally do anything to hurt her I will beat you to a pulp" She smiled at me and we burst out laughing.

"What are you two laughing at?" Paige asked as she approached us with our ice cream.

Kelly answered first "You, of course. It's getting pretty late, I should probably hit the road back to Philly. You two should come up together sometime though, I mean you can't hide Emily from your awful group of friends forever Paige"

"You're part of that awful group, Kel. But yeah I definitely want Emily to meet them eventually. Hopefully we'll take a journey to the city in the near future." I really liked the sound of that.

After Kelly left Rosewood, we went back up to Paige's apartment to have dinner together. She was a little useless in the kitchen I was noticing so I took it upon myself to make us some rice and chicken. "Paige I really don't know how you've survived a week living off of your cooking" I teased. She explained to me that she usually bought her lunch and dinner was a microwave meal, salad or a protein bar.

"It's not that bad!" she pouted. "And if you're so worried I guess you'll just have to cook my meals for me to, you know since you're already regulating my exercises"

"Oh let it go already! It's two more days then you can go run and swim all you want" I threw some rice at her and she made a show of ignoring me for the next five minutes. After a few minutes of heated silence she wrapped her arms around my waist from behind while I was stirring the rice. Her hands roamed up and down my stomach as she nuzzled her face into my shoulder, planting sweet kisses all the way up to my neck. I leaned back into her and let out a sigh.

"If this is my reward for cooking I'll be here every night" I tried to speak evenly but she was making it very difficult as she softly pecked along my collarbone. I completely forgot where we were momentarily as I reached my hand forward, setting it directly on the hot stove burner.

"OUCH! _SHIT!" _I jumped back and Paige quickly detached herself, startled by my sudden outburst. I cradled my hand and shook it frantically while cursing. "Damn it Paige! You made me burn my hand!" I turned off the stove and moved the sink, running cool water over my hand trying to relieve some of the pain.

"Oh my god, Em! I am so sorry" Paige grabbed her first aid kit from a cabinet and began digging through until she pulled out some burn ointment. "Babe, I am so so so sorry. That was really stupid of me" I shut the water of and she took my hand, wrapping it in a towel and gently patting it dry. I looked up at her and saw how frantic she was and she looked at me apologetically. Did she actually thing I was mad at her?

"Paige, chill, it's a small burn, happens all the time, no biggie" I pulled the towel away and there was barely a mark there.

"I should have known better than to do that while you were cooking. This is why I suck at relationships I'm no good at being romantic" She rambled on as she handed me the tube of burn ointment. I applied a small amount and continued on cooking.

"Why were you trying to be romantic exactly?" I teased.

"Oh…well actually. Hanna was mentioning something to me last night about some school formal dance coming up in a few weeks. She said you would love it if I asked you to go. She said 'make her dinner, get all sweet and ask her to the formal' well that just failed miserably so here's my 'Paige' way of asking, do you want to go to the dance with me?" She looked at me sweetly.

"Do you want to go Paige?" I asked seriously. I didn't want her to feel pressured by Hanna.

"Well I'm not much of a dancer but if I get to see you in a dress dancing I'm in. No I really do want to go Emily, I think it would be fun"

"Then of course I want to go with my amazingly sweet girlfriend" I replied. I walked over and kissed her passionately before she pulled away.

"No kissing while the stove is on, someone could get hurt" She joked before pulling me back for another kiss.

I went home that evening with a smile on my face. Paige and I were going really well already and I loved being this close with her. I walked in the door of my house to see my mom waiting with an expectant smile.

"How was your night with the girls?" My mom asked. I had told her that Paige lived alone and we were _all _hanging out there for the night and to my surprise my mom agreed to let me go. She had really come around about everything lately and it's been great to have her support. I couldn't wait for her to meet Paige because if there was any girl my mom would completely approve of I know it would be her.

"It was awesome mom! Paige's friend Kelly came from Philly and she is really great. We spent most of the day giving her a tour of Rosewood which surprisingly was fun" I explained.

"That sounds great sweetie. How is Paige adjusting to Rosewood? Those girls have stopped bugging her right?" I told my mom everything about the situation with Paige on Monday night after I called her. It was better to tell her the truth in that situation.

"Paige said she's starting to like it actually. Which is great! Those girls won't be stepping near Paige anytime soon, mom. I think we made it clear that Paige isn't going to get bullied. Plus she's friends with Spencer now and anybody in their right mind knows not to get on her bad side"

My mom laughed at that. "I'm glad everything is working out Emily. I can't wait to meet this girl she seems like a lovely person"

"Maybe I'll invite her to dinner here in a few weeks or something. I don't want to jump the gun to soon on that step mom. She has a lot of family issues of her own and I want her to feel comfortable with me first. Everything has been going so great I just don't want to push it" I explained.

I settled into my bed that night, deciding it wasn't as comfortable as being in Paige's arms. My mom was right, everything was working out. There was still so much I wanted to know about Paige but I felt like in time she would tell me everything about her family. I was looking forward to what our future would hold for us; her meeting my mom, me meeting her friends. Then is occurred to me. What was she going to tell her family? I could care less what they thought but I was worried what they might do if she told them she was gay. From everything Paige told me it sounded like they would ship her off to god knows where to try and 'fix' her. Maybe not telling her parents would be the best option because I was nowhere near ready to risk losing Paige. I guess it wasn't something I had to worry about for now though. Right now everything was perfect and I was content with living like this.

**A/N- Sorry, I know the ending sucked but I couldn't think of a different way to do it... but that should be a bit of a hint about what the next chapter will bring! **

**There is going to be A LOT of stuff coming up in the next few chapters (this one was sort of a filler) and a small bit of a jump forward in time in order to keep the story moving. **

**Thanks for the support, keep it coming! **


	8. Chapter 8

**AN- First of all thank you a million times to everyone who reviews this story! Reading the reviews makes me motivated to actually work on this story! And of course if you want to see something in the story just suggest it and I'll probably incorporate it at some point. This is actually my favorite chapter so far so I hope you all like it as well! I jumped time by about a month and writing that was a little tough but I'll just make it clear that they havn't gone to the dance yet, so that will be in another chapter don't worry I didn't skip that part of the story!**

**I won't be able to update as often anymore but I still plan on finishing the story before season 4! Then I'll probably start another one so if you have any story ideas and like my writing style, PM me and we can chat! **

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**Emily's POV- **

The weeks passed amazingly with Paige for the rest of September. Everything between me and Paige has been so perfect it's hard to imagine how tough things were before our relationship began. We were so stupidly happy with each other it drove our friends crazy when we were together. Hanna still squealed at every intimate moment she'd catch us in, whether it was whispering to each other, an arm around the waist or a simple kiss. Everything was so great and getting better the more we got to know each other.

After Paige's week of rest prescribed by Wren was up she went into hard core training mode. She insisted that she had to make up for her week off by swimming during lunches and running morning and night. On top of that the last two weekends she'd been going back to the city to be with her friends and family. I was glad she was still spending time with them still but I missed her a lot when she was gone. Tonight, we were finally able to fit in some alone time after swim practice for dinner at her house, something I've been excited for all day. I offered to cook but she insisted on getting takeout from The Brew and having a completely relaxed night. After dinner we cuddled up on the couch watching TV while I was snuggled closely into her side. Even being this close to Paige still brought the sensation of butterflies through my body, it was truly amazing.

"Emmy?" Paige whined at me, looking up to me with her perfect chocolate brown eyes. Whatever she wanted it wasn't likely I was going to be able to resist for long.

"Whatever you want, you can forget it, Paige" I tried to maintain my composure and she pouted at me and looked away. "Fiiiine! What is it?"

"My back is really killing me after those swimming drills today, can you give me a massage? Pleeeeeeeaaaase?" She begged. Yeah, she was impossible to resist, especially when she was trying to be overly cute.

I smirked at her, I made it out like it would be chore but I could almost guarantee I would enjoy this more than she would. "Ugh! You so owe me for this" I groaned as I repositioned myself on the couch, allowing her to sit in between my legs so I could work her shoulders and upper back.

"You're the best, Em" She grinned and gave me a quick kiss on the cheek before she turned around and relaxed her body.

"Yeah, yeah. I think you're just using me for my amazing massaging skills" I joked as I began massaging her back gently. She was very knotted up so I guessed her back had actually been hurting her pretty bad. "God, Paige! You need to cut back your exercising, I don't even think _I _can undo half of this damage"

She moaned and leaned into my hands. "mmmm….No it feels so good. You're doing a great job. And I officially feel better about that week off anyway so I'm no longer running at nights" She sighed again as I worked around her neck and shoulders. Her soft moans were driving me crazy and I was struggling to keep myself together.

"Good. You were starting to worry me with all of that exercising and I don't like the idea of you running in the woods at night. People get lost there all of the time in broad daylight and you're out there in the dark where—"

"What? The boogie man could get me?" Paige interrupted and then began laughing.

"Hey! It's not funny, Paige. That's where Allison went missing a couple years ago and I know they caught Ian bu—" Paige cut me off again.

"Em, relax. I'm done running at night anyways so you have nothing to worry about. Although I did almost get lost in there yesterday morning. I didn't realise how deep those trials went. Anyway I'm glad I didn't go missing because what would I do out in the woods where my _amazing _girlfriend couldn't massage me? I don't think I would survive" She joked. It still baffled me how Paige could calm me down in a second after working me up and then to top it off make a joke that would get us both laughing.

"Well you call me if you ever decide to run there at night again, so at least I know that when you do get lost I can give the police an estimation as to where you might be" I joked back.

"Deal" Paige agreed and I breathed a sigh of relief. She often called me overprotective but she was a bit reckless about her safety as I was finding. She was always pushing herself which drove me mad but I accepted it because it was part of who she was, but when it came to her safety I didn't like taking chances, I'd already seen her get hurt enough.

I was thinking about how much I mothered her when I suddenly remembered my own mom. "Paige there is a debt to pay for this _amazing _massage I'm giving you" I said suggestively.

"Anything for you, what's up?"

"Dinner. Tomorrow night at my house. My mom is dying to meet you, I talk about you all the time and it drives her insane that she hasn't met you yet" I explained.

Paige tensed up instantly. Of course it made sense because of the stories I told her about my mom and Maya along with her own family issues. "Uhm..ha! Em if that's the debt of this massage, I'm expecting a happy ending" She joked but I could hear the panic in her voice.

"Funny, Paige. Seriously, you have nothing to worry about, my mom _wants _to meet you. You're the type of person she wants me to be with and you don't have anything to be afraid of. Actually, she pretty much already knows everything about you considering how much I talk about you" It was true. I drove my mom insane with the _Paige this, Paige that _talk. She just wanted me to hurry up and invite her over and seeing as it has been just about a month, now is the perfect time.

Paige relaxed a little bit and turned around to face me. I put my arm around her and cupped her face softly. "Alright, Em. If you think it's a good idea I'll be there" She smiled at me and looked a little better than when I first suggested the idea.

"It's kind of cute actually, you getting all nervous about meeting her. It shows you care"

Paige looked at me seriously and held my hand to her cheek, "Of course I care, Emily. Now, let's go pick me out an outfit to wear to dinner tomorrow" She leaned in and kissed me passionately before taking my hand and leading me to the bedroom to go through her wardrobe.

**Paige's POV-**

There was no denying that I was nervous for tonight. My palms were sweaty as I gripped the steering wheel on the way to the Fields' house. Although Emily reassured me all day that I had nothing to worry about, it didn't help much now that I was alone to my thoughts on the way to dinner. What if I said something stupid? I tend to do that a lot. I really wanted Mrs. Fields to approve of me, because if she didn't it basically meant me and Emily weren't going to work out. I pulled up in the driveway of their beautiful two story home and took a deep breath deciding it was best not to sit and think about it, I went out into the crisp fall night and approached the door.

Emily answered it, bringing me in for a quick hug and kiss while whispering in my ear, "Relax, babe. She's going to adore you just be yourself" I nodded weakly at her and she held my hand and led me into the kitchen to meet her mother. Their house was very comfortable and homey. There were family photos and everything was decorative and tasteful, but not so showy as to think there wasn't a family living here. I envied this kind of household as it was the opposite of my parents' house in Philly.

She led me into the kitchen, never letting go of my hand even when I pulled lightly as we came into view of her mother. She just squeezed my hand tightly, letting me know she was there and not letting go. Mrs. Fields smiled at us and I could see where Emily got her beauty from. She was tall, curvy, and toned like Emily with that same beautiful dark hair, dark eyes and tan complexion.

She spoke first, approaching me with an endearing smile. "You must be Paige, I can't even tell you how much I've heard about you, it's nice to finally meet you"

I pulled my hand away from Emily to shake her hand "Nice to meet you as well, Mrs. Fields. Dinner smells amazing" I shocked myself with how confident I felt all of the sudden. I noticed Emily smile at me as she took my hand back in hers.

"Please, call me Pam, we're not formal here. I want you to feel at home with us" She said sweetly

"Thanks, that's very kind of you. It's nice to be in a house for once actually, I'm so glad Emily invited me here"

"Good, I'm hoping to see a lot more of the girl my daughter can't shut up about!" Pam joked

"Mom!" Emily cut her off, "Please save sharing embarrassing stories until like the third or fourth time Paige has been here, you're gonna scare her away" Emily whined.

"Oh, sorry honey. I didn't mean to embarrass you. Sorry Paige, I just feel like I know you so much already" Pam explained. I knew what she meant. I'd known the woman for all of five minutes and I felt so comfortable around her. _Everything with Emily always felt so right_, I thought with conviction.

I smiled at her, "Thank you, Pam. I really want to thank you for being so welcoming. It means a lot to me"

"Of course, dear"

Dinner went by perfectly. We talked mostly about my life, but I didn't mind because I really did want Pam to feel like she knew who I was. She was very friendly and endearing the entire time. I found myself thinking about what my family dinners were like and realised how much of a family life I missed out on. Our once a month family dinners usually ended in an argument between me and my dad along with a grounding for me and a lot of slammed doors. We finished dinner and Emily and I offered to do the dishes after thanking Pam for a delicious meal.

"I think for Paige's good health we should have her over every night for dinner mom, she's honestly worse of a cook than dad" Emily joked as she washed our plates while I dried them.

"Let me guess? A lot of microwaving is involved?" Pam teased me.

"Emily finally taught me how to set the oven timer so I've been using that a little bit too. I actually managed not to burn the spaghetti last night" I joked, causing a laugh from them both.

Emily looked at me and groaned, flicking water at me "Paige, first of all you're not supposed to put spaghetti in the oven…second of all, oh what's the point? Mom do you see what I mean? She's hopeless in the kitchen!" I looked at her, pretending to be offended and splashed water back at her.

Pam laughed again and smiled as Emily and I continued splashing forth at each other, flirting like little kids. "Well, like I said, you're welcome here anytime, Paige. No need for an invitation just come on over" Pam smiled at me.

"That's really nice of you to offer, I really do like being here, but I'm not one to impose" I replied politely. The last thing I wanted was for Pam to get sick of me.

Pam looked at me and spoke softly "Look, I know we've just met but what I was trying to get at before was that Emily told me about your situation of why you're here in Rosewood. As much as I disagree with your parents…umm.. independent lifestyle for you, well I just want you to know I'm here for you if you ever need an adult for anything. I don't care what it is, even if you just need a night here so you're not alone, just please don't be afraid to talk to me alright?" I wanted to tear up. Of course this would be Emily's mother, sweet and caring, like mother like daughter.

"Thank you very much. It's been hard sometimes but I've pretty much adjusted. I will call though, if I need anything, I don't want you worrying about me like Emily does…_all _the time" I smirked.

"That would be my Emmy. She cares about you a lot though Paige, and I know you care about her too, so don't worry about having my approval because from the moment Emily told me about you, I pretty much already liked you"

"Mom! You're doing it again, stop!" Emily blushed, turning crimson and glared at her mother.

"Alright, alright I'm done. I'm going to go upstairs to call your dad, you two have fun" She wondered out of the kitchen and before I knew it Emily had pulled me into an embrace, pressing her lips to mine in a heated kiss.

"You are so incredible" She whispered into my ear. "I'm surprised she didn't ask you to move in" Emily joked.

"I'm glad she likes me, I was really worried she wouldn't approve and I wouldn't know what to do"

"I told you there was nothing to worry about" Emily poked my nose lightly with her index finger. I realised how hard I was falling for her, especially because of moments like this.

This weekend coming up I planned on taking her to Philly, it was time she saw my life in the city. I was excited at the thought of her seeing me where I really felt comfortable. I would call Kelly tonight when I got home and make plans for a small party at her house on Saturday where we could stay and Emily could meet everyone.

"Alright, I've met your parents. Well I guess just your mom but anyway, now it's time you met my _family_" I smiled devilishly at her and her face turned to sheer panic. I was mean to her like this sometimes but it made up for all of the sass and teasing I would get from her.

"i—uh..Paige? did you tell them about us? Does your father know you're…?" She trailed off and her eyes looked distant.

"He doesn't know yet, but I'm sick of hiding it. But that's not even what I'm talking about so you can relax. I wouldn't put you through that just yet, by family, I meant my friends in Philly" I smirked at her and she punched me hard in the stomach. "Uhhf! Jeeze, Em. You abuse me a lot did you know that?"

"Yeah, well you're a jerk a lot! _Did you know that?" _She imitated me in a lame voice.

"So sassy all the time. But ask your mom about going to Philadelphia next Saturday for the night and tell her we'll be staying with my good friend Kelly and her parents will be home and I'll leave the house number with her" I explained.

"Sounds perfect! I can't wait to meet your friends Paige" Emily smiled at me but then went serious. "Wait, Paige? Did you say you were sick of hiding it? Are you thinking about telling your parents about us?" She looked scared again so I held her hand and squeezed it softly.

"I don't like the idea that I'm hiding you, Em. Even if it's just from them. The sooner they know I'm gay the sooner they accept it or at least get over it. After this dinner with your mom, I dunno I just wish I could give you the same experience with my family. I know that will never happen, it's not who they are and I want to protect you from that. I want them to know _about_ you at least, even if that's all I can offer for now" I wished things could be different with my family, that I could take Emily and introduce her to them and not have the house break out in World War III.

Emily's eyes got watery and I wondered what was going on in her mind "I just don't want them to like, send you away or something" Emily looked at me with fear and hurt.

I laughed softly "Oh, Emily! If I thought that was even a possibility I would never even think about telling them. Don't worry, I'm not ready to leave Rosewood just yet and they won't send me way, trust me. They exiled me here for swimming remember? They won't send me away from the best opportunity for a scholarship. Don't worry alright? Just be excited for this weekend." I reassured her.

"You know, it's not fair that you're so sure about all of this" She mumbled. I looked at her in complete confusion. "I mean it's great but I wish I was this sure about who I was when I came out. I spent most of my life trying to hide the feelings from myself and then when I accepted it, I still hid it from the world for a long time. But you're not ashamed at all, you amaze me" she explained.

I chuckled lightly again "Being myself has never been a problem, Emily. Not for anything and this was never any different. But you also make it easier" I looked deep into her eyes trying to show her what I meant.

"What do you mean by that?" She asked

"You make me _want _to be myself around everyone, Em. Because you think I'm worth it, and everything with you feel _right_" _I want to show the world I deserve you. _I didn't say that out loud but it was the real reason I wasn't afraid.

Emily looked at me in awe again and as if lost for words she leaned in and kissed me. The kiss became heated quickly as she pushed her tongue along my lip, looking to deepen the kiss. I quickly granted her entrance and moved my hands along her stomach. Our physical relationship had not changed much since we began dating. We made out a lot, until things got too heated, and we would both grudgingly break apart to maintain control. It was getting harder each time it happened but we were both on the same page that we needed to keep things slow for now.

Emily broke the kiss, pulling back slightly. "Paige I…." she paused and looked at me in terror. Was she really going to say it those three words. No, it must have been something else. I hadn't even thought about that. Did she love me? Do I love her? I've never been in a relationship like this before how am I supposed to even know what loving someone feels like. What am I talking about of course I loved her. I had no doubts about that. She must have seen the fear in my eyes because she quickly looked down to hide her expression from me. Why couldn't I say it?

"I should probably go, yeah?" I mumbled, pulling away from her. "Uh.. I'll see you later.. I mean tomorrow. Yeah school or whatever" Ugh could I be more awkward?

"Oh…Kay? I'll see you tomorrow Paige" She looked up extremely confused.

"Thanks for dinner, it was great" I walked out the door, into my car and when I arrived to my apartment I banged my head against the door. I sat there for a minute analysing my idiotic behavior. Emily most likely wasn't going to say what I thought anyway. I was confident she liked me but there was just no way she would be _in love _with me. I was being ridiculous and super awkward for nothing. And She was commenting how amazing I was and then I just blew it by acting like a complete fool! Good job Paige!

I woke up early the next morning to the sound of my phone buzzing. I rolled over and checked the caller I.D to see it was my dad. What a lovely way to start the morning.

"Hello?" I groaned into the phone

"Paige, you're awake. Good" _well I am now, dad. _

"Yeah I'm awake… what's going on is there a reason you called me this early?" I asked

"Well, yes. I think you know why" He said sternly. "I see that your times in backstroke went up from last week…please explain to me why this happened" of course he would see the fault. Not that I shaved my butterfly time by a second consistently but that I gained a little bit of time in the backstroke, something I never even swim in for competition.

Usually I would let it go and apologize but he called me too early and my wall was up "Are you serious? Did you even look at my time for the butterfly? Obviously not or you wouldn't be calling" I raised my voice, something risky even if it was only a phone call.

"Don't start with me, Paige! I sent you to Rosewood to improve your times and get a scholarship, and you're clearly not doing that" he scolded.

He gave me perfect ammunition "Oh! So we can both agree that you _sent _me here then and it wasn't my choice? My times have improved! The ones that matter! Me and Emily have been working all week on shaving seconds for the first competition" I let Emily's name slip out and remembered my dad only seeing her as competition. He warned me about her, saying she was ranked very high and our times were very close. My dad was clueless about how close Emily and I really were.

"Emily? The team captain? She's you're competition too, Paige. You're both fighting for the same awards and you need to be the best thing on that team! You don't need to make any friends especially not with the Fields girl" he sneered. The way he talked about Emily like she was nothing completely set me off.

"Would you listen to yourself? She's the team captain dad and she's helping me! we're helping each other that's why my times have imp—"

"I don't wanna hear it, Paige. What I want to hear is that you've got the best times and are setting records in that damn school. I want to hear about scouts coming to Rosewood for you not this Emily Fields—"

"Shut up!" I screamed, tears running down my cheeks in anger. "You don't even know her dad! She's the only reason I can actually accept my life here"

"What's that supposed to mean?" He snarled

"It means she's my girlfriend, dad. It means I'm gay and Emily Fields is my girlfriend and if you say anymore rude shit about her…" I trailed off in an open threat. "She helps me with my times anyways dad, you've seen them improve over the last few weeks, you can't deny the evidence" I mumbled.

I heard my father laugh over the phone. How he made me angrier than I already am was beyond me. "You're _gay? _Really, Paige?" he laughed again and I clenched the phone tighter in my hand. "If you want my attention, you don't need to go to extremes like that. Just improve your times" He kept laughing and then the line went dead. He had just hung up.

Everything around me went blurry with tears of anger. I turned and whipped my phone at the wall and watched it smash to pieces on the ground. I would regret that later but right now I was beyond caring. I rummaged through my unpacked box of pictures and found the stupid family photo my mom gave me as a 'moving away' gift. I picked up the picture frame and whipped it at the wall, smiling as the glass smashed. I continued tearing apart anything and everything that reminded me of my father in my apartment until I was so warn out that I crashed on my bed, sobbing loudly. I had destroyed mugs, ripped the cushions off the couch, kicked the side table, knocked over the bookshelf and send books flying across the living room, and smashed a few dishes I took from the house in Philly. The place was a disaster now but I was so upset I still hadn't mustered up the feeling of regret.

My father always won. I tell him I'm gay out of spite and he doesn't even get angry? _If you want my attention, just improve your times. _He laughed at I wanted his attention, he thought I was lying. I thought again about the mess around my apartment and realised how much I had really destroyed. This was going to be a disaster to clean up but I could save that for later. I just needed to run away from it all right now.

I put on my gear and sprinted to the woods, following the trails until I had gone farther than I ever had before. I must have been running for over an hour but I didn't care, I just kept going. Finally, my body was more tired than my mind so I came to a rest. I sat on a fallen tree and let myself cry again.

There was no longer any question. I didn't love my dad, I couldn't. I actually hated him! How horrible does a person have to be that their own kid wishes he would never call, never visit again. Any contact from now own would be from his side only.

I contemplated what I could do to show my dad he wasn't going to win. I could quit swimming but I loved it so much for myself that even quitting would be a victory for him. He would have taken the one thing I was sure about in my life. I could run away but then where would I go? Surely when he figured that out he would close out my accounts and I would have no one along with no money. I could drop out of school and move back to Philly and live with Kelly but I didn't even want to think about being in the same city as him, no matter how big Philly was, it was still too close. And then there was Emily to think about.

The truth was, staying in Rosewood was my victory. Proving to him that Emily was a real thing is how I would win. I didn't care about being the best swimmer, not if Emily was the one in front of me. Emily was my victory so staying in Rosewood was my only solution. I checked my wrist watch and realised half the day had already gone by. Luckily there was no swim practice tonight so I could take my time and walk back home. It took three and a half hours to walk back out of the woods but it was peaceful. The run had helped me clear my mind and I made my decision. My father couldn't disown me, that wasn't a good way to treat an investment. But I could disown him. Cut as many ties as possible while still having him pay for my life in Rosewood. I would never call home anymore. No more family visits. I was officially emancipated in my mind.

I walked around The Brew to my apartment and saw that Emily's car was parked beside mine. School had ended about ten minutes ago so she must have wondered why I didn't show up or text her. I was going to have some explaining to do, she was always so worried about me and missing school without a text to her was definitely going to result in a scolding. The truth was I actually needed her right now, more than anyone so I was glad she was here. I looked in the driver's side of her car, expecting to see her there.

_Shit!_ I had showed her where I hid my spare key and she would no doubt be inside by now. I remembered how I left the apartment early this morning (could it really have been that long ago?) I sprinted up the stairs and opened the door, I could hear her broken sobs and I realised how disastrous the apartment looked. It probably looked as if someone had broken in. There was stuff everywhere and with me nowhere to be found… it was Emily, she without a doubt would assume the worst.

"Emily!" I called, running into my bedroom and seeing her crumpled on my bed.

"Paige!" she looked up at me and I had never seen her look so distraught. It made me want to break down crying just seeing her this way. She was a complete mess, clutching my broken phone in her hands weakly. She forced herself up from the bed, bolting across the small space and pulling me into a tight embrace, kissing my neck, my shoulders, my cheek, anywhere her lips could find. This was exactly what I needed. Why didn't I just go to her this morning? I was holding her tightly and as I went to pull away she just forced herself into me more, showing no intentions of letting go. I felt her sobs deep in her chest as she leaned her body into mine. I found myself leaning back, and suddenly it wasn't me holding her anymore, she was holding me. Finally, she pulled back and looked me up and down slowly.

"Where have you been? I tried calling when I didn't see you at school and when you never showed I came here!" she sobbed again and I realised how much this really scared her. "And then I open the door with the key under the mat and the place is torn apart, you're phone was destroyed and you were… you were… what happened?" she finally asked, crying again while running her hands up and down my body.

I cupped her face in my hands, rubbing my thumb gently across her cheeks, whipping the tears away. "Em, babe, calm down! Look at me, I'm alright okay? just take a deep breath, calm yourself down and I'll explain" I soothed her. She was going to hate me for scaring her this much over nothing so I wanted her to at least be able to breathe when I told her this was my own doing.

"I thought… I thought someone took you Paige! I was just about to dial 911 when you called out for me" her sobs quieted as I caressed her cheeks, staring deeply into her eyes.

"Emily" I forced her to look at me. "I did all of this alright? Nobody touched me" I couldn't really say nobody hurt me today because that would have been a lie.

She looked around at the mess and tensed instantly. "Paige?" she asked in shock.

"My dad called," I continued to explain everything that had happened, and my long run in the woods. "Emily I'm so sorry I didn't call you or leave a note or whatever. Everything just built up and I wasn't thinking, I was running. I promise you I'm alright now okay? I'm not hurt, I'm not leaving"

She took everything in quietly and when I finished she looked up at me and broke down in angry sobs again. "Damn it Paige I was worried sick about you! I thought you were gone, I thought someone…" she yelled and began punching me in the stomach, again and again as she broke down in deep sobs again. "Don't you ever, ever do that to me again Paige don't you get how much I care about you! I don't like thinking I've lost someone I love alright? I've dealt with enough of that and you are way to reckless and I just can't…" she trailed off but continued punching me, pushing me back roughly on the bed.

She was a complete mess right now and I could understand, I deserved the yelling and probably much worse for putting her through today. Even if it was just a few minutes of thinking I had been kidnapped it clearly broke her. "Emily I told you I wasn't thinking—ouch—jeeze, Em who taught you to punch?"

"Yeah well think about me next time for once!" Her punches softened and she went back to sobbing quietly again.

"I do think about you, Em. All of the time. That's why I was so mad today I couldn't handle my dad's disrespect and ignorance. I really am sorry for scaring you, I didn't think anyone would see the apartment and I didn't plan on being gone all day" I sat up and looked at her standing over me and I tensed for another good hit to the stomach.

Instead she pounced on me, straddling my hips and pushing me back on the bed while leaning down and kissing my neck again, "Yeah well you try going 5 minutes thinking I'm dead and we'll see how you handle it" She mumbled. She rolled off of me to lay beside me, our legs remained entangled and I reached over to stroke her hair softly while looking her straight in the eye. I imagined what she said and shuddered at the thought of someone hurting her.

"I love you too by the way" I whispered, smiling lightly. I hadn't missed what she said before about losing people she _loved_.

"Yeah well you have one hell of a way of showing it" She mumbled, clearly still upset. "Seriously Paige you couldn't have borrowed the phone at The Brew for five seconds? I would have been here for you"

I sighed and looked deep into her eyes "I didn't want you to see me like that. I think you can see I have a bit of a temper…although clearly it pales in comparison to yours. I'm going to have bruises for weeks!" I leaned in trying to her a light kiss on the nose but she tensed and pulled away. That hurt. The hurt I felt reminded me of all my anger towards my father. Today had been too emotional for me to handle and I felt my own tears begin to fall as I remembered everything that had happened.

Emily saw my tears and her face fell again. She cupped my cheek with her hand and I immediately felt better. Going to the woods was a bad idea, I really should have just gone to Emily, she made everything better. "Paige, it's alright. I'm here okay? I want to see you when you're angry and upset. Because I want to help you and shutting me out only hurts us both. I do love you, a lot actually, although you make it a very emotional job sometimes. Stop fighting with yourself and _talk _to me"

I leaned in and gave her a sweet kiss on the lips. "I love you Emily, I really do. I don't think there was ever a doubt in my mind" I kissed her again and sighed "I love you" I whispered again, I couldn't get over how great it sounded to say it out loud.

"Last night then?" she asked teasingly and I groaned, deciding to explain truthfully.

"Well you just surprised me I guess. I didn't expect you to say it so soon I thought maybe if you said it you would want to take it back or something" she went to protest but I put my finger over her lips. "Relax, babe. I know you meant it I was being stupid, and I was also being stupid today for scaring you like that so tell me how to make it up to you and I will do anything" I promised.

"You better! Ugh! I'm still extremely mad at you" she pushed me lightly again and I could see her begging to cave.

I laughed and leaned down to kiss her again, "I know, and honestly if anyone does break in and you're here, I fear for their lives because you, Miss Fields, are one scary person when you're mad" I said jokingly.

"Fuck off Paige, It's too soon for those kind of jokes" She frowned at me.

I smiled lightly "Oh C'mon maybe just a little laugh?" I pouted at her "For me? because I'm sooooo adorable?" She called me that a lot so I decided to use it against her to win her over.

"Not today you're not!" she held her ground. "Today you're the person who scared me to death, and Paige one more thing?" she looked at me seriously.

"What?" I asked reluctantly

"You stink like you've been running all day! Go take a shower" She smiled and I rolled my eyes at her.

"Care to join me?" I asked jokingly.

"No way! You're still in trouble" She laughed as she pushed me off of her.

"Ugh! I can't catch a break today!" I groaned as I stomped my way to the bathroom. I meant to shower quickly, but the hot water felt great after my stressful day. It gave me time to sort through all of the emotions about everything. Nothing made me happier than knowing Emily really loved me, and as I thought this I remembered she was waiting in the apartment for me. I dried off quickly, changing into a pair of yoga pants and an oversized hoodie. I was over trying to look decent today, my face was a mess still from all of the stress and crying and there was no point in dressing up for Emily, she'd already seen me at my worst.

I walked out of the bathroom, finding that the mess I made this morning was completely cleaned up. I guess my shower had been longer than I thought because everything was back in place, the way I had seen it last night before hurricane Paige rolled through the apartment.

I wondered to the bedroom, wondering where Emily was but I didn't see her there either. I peeked out the window and noticed her car was gone. I went to the kitchen to look for a note but there was nothing. She probably decided while she was cleaning that I was a complete mental case and bailed for the night, remembering how pissed she was it made sense in my mind. I would have to talk to her tomorrow and really deeply apologize. I flopped on the couch with my head in my hands and began to quietly cry again. Today had just been too much for me. Fighting with my dad, fighting with Emily, it all was just too much.

I'm not sure how much time had passed but suddenly the door opened and before I knew it Emily rushed over, holding me again, running her hands through my hair in an effort to calm me down.

"Paige is everything alright? I'm sorry I left, I brought some leftovers from last night for us and I found one of my old phones you can put your sim card in and use for now" Emily explained.

I calmed myself down and realised how pathetic I was being. Emily came back, everything was fine. I stopped crying and looked up at her. "I'm okay, I guess I just feel a little lonely tonight. Thanks for the food and the phone. You shouldn't have cleaned for me though, you didn't have to do that" I explained, embarrassed that she had dealt with my mess.

"I know I didn't, but you were right, you've had a bad day so I've decided to give you a break. We just have to reheat dinner, so you have nothing to worry about anymore" She reached for my hands, playing with my fingers lightly.

"So I'm forgiven?" I asked hopefully.

She thought for a moment. "For now. I might get mad again later so try not to remind me of how pissed I really am at you" She then stood and went to the kitchen to begin reheating our dinner. I followed her closely, wrapping my arms around her waist from behind and kissing her neck softly. I turned her around and looked at her perfect full lips before speaking.

"Maybe I can make you forget" I whispered softly before leaning in and kissing her passionately. I decided to push my luck by pushing my tongue into her mouth and deepening the kiss quickly. She responded the way I wanted her to, and pulled our bodies until they were flush against each other. She moaned into my mouth and I moved down her jaw and to her ear "I love you, Em. And I don't think I'll ever get tired of saying that" I whispered before gently moving down her neck, nipping her perfect skin until I reached her neck and began softly sucking the skin around her pulse.

"Paige" she whimpered. I roamed my hands down to her ass and squeezed gently, causing her to moan loudly again. I went a little further than we usually do by lifting her up, causing her to wrap her legs around my waist. I carried her to the kitchen counter, placing her gently down, never moving my lips from her neck.

Her hands roamed down from my shoulders to my breasts. She cupped them gently through my hoodie causing me to let out a moan of surprise. I moved my fingers to the hem of her shirt and moved back to her lips, kissing her passionately.

As if my body knew we couldn't kiss forever, my stomach growled and I remembered that I hadn't eaten today. She pulled away, arching her eyebrows at me questioningly. We both laughed lightly as I pulled her down from the counter "Damn, I guess it's time to get you fed and you can tell me more about your family"

"Gosh, where do I even begin?" I thought for a moment and decided explaining my childhood would be the best place to start. "Well I guess things have never really been all that great when it comes to my family. My father wasn't always around you know? Like when I was younger"

Emily looked at me questioningly "You mean you didn't always live with him?"

"No not exactly. My dad is the CEO of Noram, it's a fairly large economical development company, I really don't know much about it to be honest" I never really cared enough to ask my dad about his work. "It's becoming pretty established in the states now but it took him a lot of hard work to get where he is. Anyways, he married my mom at 25 and when she got pregnant with me, I guess he conveniently had to move to L.A for a while and establish a branch there. He lived there for the first 5 years of my life"

Emily gasped in surprise "You didn't meet your dad until you were 5 years old?" She asked.

"Like I said, its complicated. Yes, I didn't meet him until I was 5 and even then, he was in and out the door so much it felt like I was raised by a single mother. I was pretty close with my mom when I was younger, but as I grew up and she began working at a law firm, we grew apart. She began to remind me of my dad and that just pushed me away even more." I thought for a moment and remembered the most vital part to the story I was telling. "When I was about 13, my dad actually took notice to how talented I was at swimming. Suddenly, he was a big part of my life and everything was great. Emily, he would show up to my practices, give me tips and we finally had something to talk about. He hired me a private swim instructor and began pushing me to enter more competitions. I loved the attention he finally gave me and thought I finally broke through the wall with him"

"That's when the pushing became forceful, it was no longer encouragement, it was a demand to be the best, and if I wasn't the best, I was a failure. I can't really explain the things he would say and do, but my life was suddenly no longer mine, and like before, I pushed him away again, I couldn't accept the person he was because he couldn't once tell me he was proud. You wouldn't believe this but he actually hinted to me that it would be ok if I began taking performance enhancers"

Emily looked at me in complete shock and anger. "You mean steroids?"

"Yes. Like I said, anything to make sure I'm the best. Don't worry, I never did, and I never will. But the fact that my own father thinks it's alright to do that. I don't even believe I'm his flesh and blood sometimes, the things that go through his head! I tried talking to my mom, but it caused so many fights and she always takes his side. And that's how things are. He will say something, I will get upset, and I either fight back on my own or just let it go."

Emily walked over to me and pulled me into another embrace. I didn't realise that tears were falling again. "Paige I'm so sorry" She mumbled. She pulled away and wiped the tears from my eyes and I continued on with my life story.

"I'm alright. But, that's how this whole Rosewood thing came to be. My dad just told me this was going to happen. It even surprised my mother, and I could tell she wanted to disagree with him. I begged her one day to actually stand up to him, and tell him no. She wouldn't do it though…she's just like him in some ways, too proud for her own good. But anyways here I am, damaged goods but I'm here, and things are alright now, and I'm 18 soon so ill be on my own soon enough" I explained.

"I can't believe this, Paige. I knew things were bad but I didn't know you faced so much…_neglect_" Emily sounded disgusted with my parents. I looked at her and saw the sheer anger in her expression.

"Em, really I've dealt with it all my life I can handle it. I just thought you should know why I put so many walls up sometimes. It's hard to let people in because of what happened when I trusted my dad. You know, I don't remember him ever saying he loved me? Not once, not even when I was younger" I explained.

"You're not ever going back there, Paige. I won't let you go back to a place where _he _doesn't appreciate what he has. A beautiful daughter with a huge heart and he can't even see it? I don't know him Paige, but I hate him" Emily spoke through her teeth, looking angry as ever, but also extremely sexy. Was it bad that her angry side was a bit of a turn on for me?

"Em, don't worry, I don't ever plan on going back to that house. If I move back to Philly, I'll move in with Kelly. Anyways thanks for listening to that. And thanks for being here for me. I'm really sorry about today, Emily. It wasn't intentional to scare you but thanks for not walking away" It was my ultimate fear. Watching Emily walk away for good was one thing I couldn't think about anymore.

"Anytime, Paige. You're so amazing but you're so reckless sometimes it scares me. I don't want to think about losing you, and that means that I'm not walking away, right now I don't think I could" she leaned in and kissed me softly. "Alright enough with the drama tonight, let's eat and then I'll tuck you in for a good night's sleep. I think you need it more than anything right now"

I ate my share of lasagna quickly, realising how much I needed it after a long day of running on an empty stomach. After I finished I was drooping in my chair and realised how exhausted I was. Emily must have caught on as well because she threw our dishes in the sink and guided me to my bedroom, supporting my body. She tossed me a pair of flannel bottoms and a tank top and I dressed down quickly and climbed into bed. Emily draped the covers over me before leaning in and kissing me softly.

"I love you, Paige" She whispered low in my ear.

"I love you too, Em. Thanks for being here for me. I need it more than you know" I sighed as I closed my eyes. "You don't have to go" I mumbled, although I was drifting off rather quickly.

I heard Emily chuckle lightly and felt her hand run through my hair. "I should go though, sweetie. I'll just stay here until you fall asleep alright? I'll set your alarm and lock the door behind me. Text me when you wake up, I'll meet you at The Brew in the morning" She laid back next to me on the bed and ran her fingers through my hair softly. I leaned into her side, nuzzling my face into her neck and let myself get comfortable. This really was exactly what I needed after the emotion filled day, to be curled up next to Emily, a sign that everything was going to be okay.

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**AN- I know! It's like the perfect moment for them to take it to the next level and I'm an awful person but be patient I don't want to rush this and I have a plan! Next chapter will have a little bit of Emily's side of things along with a trip to Philly!**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N- Didn't think I would have time to update this week but my internet was broken for three days which left me with a lot of time to write**

**I just want to say thanks to all of the readers and to everyone who reviews thanks you a million times! Reviews are what keep me motivated to actually finish this stories and I love your thoughts and ideas! I even try to incorporate a few of your ideas into the story which is actually how a lot of this chapter was written! So, to one of the guests who suggested a run in with a guy from Paige's past, this one's for you! **

**Also, I know I've been focusing a lot on Paige in this story but I just wanted to establish her background before I get into Emily's past with Allison. Don't worry, more Emily is coming in the next few chapters but I find her more difficult to write than Paige so it takes some time to get it right!**

**PamyNovaes- You're right on the money! Things with Paige's father aren't over just like Paige's problem with Chelsea and Megan are no where near being over (hint hint)**

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** Emily's POV-**

"You make me _want _to be myself around everyone, Em. Because you think I'm worth it, and everything with you feels _right_" Paige spoke with such honesty and stared into my eyes with so much emotion I was completely at a loss for words. What she said made perfect sense, everything does feel right with her. Coming out had been so hard for me after my experience with Allison and I just assumed that's how it would be for anybody. Paige was so strong, so much herself that she could just accept it without fighting with herself. Her individuality astounded me to a point beyond words. So instead of saying anything I pulled her into a deep, passionate kiss, trying to convey everything I felt to her.

_I love her_. The thought ran through my mind as I kissed her. As soon as I contemplated my thoughts, I knew without a doubt it was true. This kind of love was different than what I felt for my parents or my friends. I was truly _in love _with Paige McCullers. I had never been in love with Maya and my love for Allison were such a mixture of friendship, true love, and pain that I couldn't even begin to compare it with Paige. I didn't want to. Paige was here, Paige had feelings for me, and Paige was exactly the person I _wanted _to love.

I pulled away from the kiss and without even thinking began to speak my mind. "Paige I—" my voice broke as I realised what I was about to say and I saw the look of complete shock and confusion cross Paige's face. This quickly turned to a look of complete terror, she knew exactly what I was about to say. My cheeks burned with embarrassment and I felt that painful feeling of rejection flutter through my body. Did she not want to hear how I felt about her? I hadn't even considered that. Clearly, from the look on her face and her sudden rambling about leaving and school tomorrow, she was nowhere near ready to hear it or reciprocate the feeling. She was out the door and in the car before I even had a chance to explain myself.

I stood in the doorway and watched her drive away dumbfoundedly until she turned off my street. I closed the door and silently banged my head against it. _Great, Emily. Just great! You find a perfect girl and you probably just blew it by blurting 'I love you'_ too soon. So I was one of those girls now? I contemplated texting Paige and apologising but then again, what was I sorry for? Definitely not for loving her and absolutely not for being honest about what she means to me. The Paige I know has the most respect for people who say what's on their mind.

That struck me with the question, why did she freak out then? The only answer I could see clear as day in my mind was that she didn't feel the same way. There came that feeling of rejection again. I trudged up the stairs to my room and made an effort not to slam the door. I put in the effort to change and then flopped down on my bed. I felt like complete shit. Paige was usually the one who joked about wondering 'how she got me' but now I'm left with the feeling that I never really _got _her at all. Maybe she needed more time or maybe the idea of love just scared her but I still couldn't put the worst thought of all out of my mind. _What if Paige never loves me? _

Just then my mom knocked quietly on the door, "Em, sweetie your dad wants to talk to you…Emmy are you alright?" My mom looked at me in concern.

I pulled myself from the bed and reached to take the phone, "Yeah, I'm fine I'll talk about it later" I smiled at her, eager to talk to my dad. I hadn't heard from him in nearly 2 weeks and I missed him like crazy. I worried so much about him and his phone calls were the only thing that would keep me grounded sometimes. My mom gave me the phone and smiled before walking out of my bedroom, giving me and my dad some father daughter time. It was the best we could get considering he was still in Afghanistan.

"Dad? I've miss you so much!" I squealed into the phone.

"I've missed you to Emmy you have no idea how nice it is to hear your voice. It's been a tough past couple of weeks here" My dad sounded drained and I began to worry what he meant by a tough week. It scared me to think about the possibilities of what that meant.

"Tell me all about it dad, I just really want to hear your voice" He began telling me about the high security alert at the base his unit was stationed at. Of course, he couldn't tell me where this was or why they were on such high alert but he assured me things were returning to normal and there was no longer any suspicions of any further 'issues'. I breathed a sigh of relief at this. If there's one thing I know, it's that my dad wouldn't lie just to make me feel better. I made him promise that before he left each time and he never broke his promises.

My relationship with my dad is unexplainable. Even during the awkward times around the house with my coming out, he never once treated me differently. Once he adjusted to knowing who I really was he became quite the jokester about it. It relieved a lot of the tension in the house between me and my mother, especially when he insisted that he could 'teach me how to pick up chicks' it was the funniest thing I'd ever heard him say and even my mom cracked a smile at that a couple of years ago. Along with that, he always insisted that we probably had the same taste in women, or that I would turn out to be quite the lady killer because we shared the same DNA. He really helped me by being comfortable with who I was and not being afraid to talk about girls in front of me. He treated me like a father would treat a son when it came to girls and I think it helped my mom realise that we could still be a normal family and I could still have normal relationships.

"So what about this Paige?" My father asked suddenly. "Your mother seems to really like her Emmy. Way to go! Finding a girl you _and _your mother approve of? Now that's an accomplishment" He joked. "All we ever do is talk about me when we're on the phone like this Emmy. It's your turn to talk now, tell me everything"

I told my dad the entire story, glad to finally have time to tell him about Paige. He didn't have much time to talk last time we were on the phone, and I always insisted he tell me about his life first.

"She sounds wonderful. Really I can hear how happy you sound, Paige is a lucky girl" He sounded genuinely happy for me and I smiled to myself.

"I'm pretty sure I'm the lucky one dad, I can't even explain it" I remembered my blunder with the 'I love you' from a couple of hours ago but it didn't bug me nearly as much. After talking about everything Paige with my dad I remembered why I had said it in the first place. Paige liked me a lot, and I could live with that for now.

My dad spoke again, returning to his usual jokester self "So the real question I have for you Em… is she a looker?" I rolled my eyes. It was such a typical question he would ask it made me miss him being here even more.

"Well come home soon and you can see for yourself, dad" He laughed and I joined in. "She's stunning dad" We chatted a little bit more until his time for personal calls was up. We said our goodbyes and he promised to call again when he could.

I felt dramatically better after speaking with my dad, as usual. I considered texting Paige but decided I would just see her at school tomorrow and we would deal with the minor awkwardness between us. I curled up in bed and drifted into a peaceful sleep thanks to my father's phone call.

I arrived at school a little late, surprised that Paige's car wasn't in the lot yet. First bell rang and I rushed to first period. That was strange. Usually Paige was early for school waiting with a coffee for me every day. Paige wouldn't be the type of girl to miss school over our blunder yesterday so I wondered if she was feeling alright. I took out my phone and sent her a concerned text.

**Morning Sunshine! I noticed ur not at school is everything alright? If ur sick get some rest and txt me when you wake up xoxo –Em**

I waited, expecting an immediate reply like Paige usually does but there was nothing. My morning classes dragged on slowly as I waited to hear from Paige. By this point I figured she already showed up at school and just didn't want to text in class. This suspicion was ruled out when I didn't see her at lunch either. I even went so far as to look for her car in the lot again. I caved and decided to call her but it went straight to voicemail. Now I was starting to worry.

I was about to jump in my car and head to her apartment to make sure she hadn't gotten in an accident or something when someone caught my arm. I turned to see Spencer looking at me questioningly.

"Are you alright, Em? You've got that worried look you wear to often"

"I'm alright. I'm just not sure where Paige is. She's not at school and she's not answering her phone. I'm just going to go over and make sure she's alright" I explained as I tried to pull my arm out of her grasp.

Spencer shook her head "Emily we have that Bio Lab next period, you really can't miss it. I'm sure Paige is fine, she's a big girl and you don't need to baby her _every _second of the day"

I glared at her, but she was completely right. "You just want me to go to Bio so you don't have to be partners with Quinn Bleeker again" I joked. We began walking towards the cafeteria, me giving in to Spencer's logic.

Finally, the end of the day came. I caved a few more times by sending texts and another phone call and I still hadn't received a reply. I raced to the parking lot and drove straight to The Brew. Paige's car was still here, that was a good sign. I breathed a sigh of relief, knowing she hadn't been in a car accident on the way to school. I walked up the familiar stairs to her apartment and knocked loudly in case she was asleep. I waited about a minute before knocking again. Still nothing. I began knocking and knocking until I decided to use the key under the mat to open the door. She must have been pretty sick if she hadn't answered the door.

I turned the knob and opened the door quickly, anxious to see to whatever Paige needed. What I saw around me was the last thing I was expecting when I opened the door. I had to blink my eyes a few times before realising that it was real. Everything was torn apart. The cushions were thrown about the living room, there were books everywhere and the shelf was completely knocked over. The living room was flipped upside down. I looked across to the kitchen and saw glasses and plates smashed on the floor. _What happened here?_

My brain kicked in and answered my question. Someone had broken in here. I was suddenly hyper aware of everything surrounding me. Adrenaline coursed through my veins as I thought of my one immediate worry. _Paige. _

"Paige" I called, my voice broke with worry. I immediately scanned the apartment, hoping for the best but only finding the worst. Paige wasn't here. I ran to her bedroom and found that it was in the same shape as the rest of the apartment. My mind started racing at the thought of what happened.

Someone took Paige. Broke in, she fought, they took her. "NO!" I screamed. This couldn't be happening. Paige couldn't really be gone. I had already been through this once. Losing a friend was enough, not my girlfriend too! "no no no no no, not Paige" I sobbed. I felt broken and empty. She had been missing all day! I should have stopped by in the morning. I should have stopped her and made her stay the night last night. I didn't even get to fully tell her I loved her.

This was the consequence of a seventeen year old living alone. Creeps went around looking for this type of situation. A young, pretty girl living on her own. I sobbed and broke down at the thought of this. Paige was really gone. "This wasn't supposed to happen" I sobbed again.

I caught a glimpse of her mangled cell phone on the ground and I picked it up. I sat on the bed and let myself cry. I had to call the cops. They had to find her and they had to find her alive. I had to feel her in my arms, I would see her again, wrap my arms around her and never let go. She would never stay alone again. When I found her I would protect her from this cruel world, from her parents, from the girls at school, from who ever took her. She would be safe again, that's what I would have to do. _If I wasn't too late. _What if she was really gone like Allison. I wasn't ready for her to be out of my life so quickly. I was only just getting to know her and now it seemed like the dream of being with Paige was over. The dream of being with Paige came with the nightmare of losing her. What was I going to do? I couldn't feel my body anymore, everything was happening in my mind and I needed to snap out of it and fight to find my love.

"Emily" I heard a beautifully familiar voice call. I looked up and saw Paige rush in the doorway of her bedroom with a frantic, pained looked on her face.

"Paige" I sobbed her name. It didn't take me long to comprehend that she was really here. I had never been so relieved to see someone in all my life. She's really alright! _I love you, I love you, I love you_ was all I was thinking. I flung myself off the bed, collapsing in the arms I swore I would never let go of. I sobbed and sobbed, thanking the stars that Paige was alright. I pushed myself into her, willing myself to feel her and accept that she was really here while kissing every part of her my lips could find. I pulled away only to pull her closer again. She pushed back into me and I began holding her up. As she leaned into me and clung to me tightly my relief subsided once again. She looked physically and mentally drained. Her eyes were red and puffy like she had been crying and she smelled like she had just run a marathon. What had really happened to her? Physically, she was here and alive but who had taken her and where could I find them and personally show them nobody ever gets away with hurting Paige. I pulled away slightly, just enough to see her face, her gorgeous eyes were full of a mix of worry, fear and relief.

"Where have you been? I tried calling when I didn't see you at school and when you never showed I came here!" My voice broke but I kept going "And then I open the door with the key under the mat and the place is torn apart, you're phone was destroyed and you were… you were… what happened?" I cried and ran my hands along her sides, feeling her with me, making sure she was really safe.

Paige held me close, calming me down before telling me exactly what happened. I looked at her in shock when she said it was her own doing. My face fell as she told me what her dad said and it broke my heart that she was so mad and I wasn't there to comfort her. She finished telling me what happened and I took a moment to process everything.

Paige wasn't taken, no body broke in. My Paige wasn't taken away from me after all. She had done everything here on her own and didn't have the decency to at least call me. The emotions in me were switching so fast I began to feel dizzy. Relief that Paige wasn't gone was quickly replaced by heartbreak about her dad, then despair that she was so angry this morning, followed by sadness that she didn't come to me for comfort. The last emotion I landed on was anger. My anger was fueled by embarrassment and truly believing Paige was gone when she in fact did this all herself. I sobbed angrily, not able to contain my emotions anymore, the poured out and Paige was the target

"Damn it Paige I was worried sick about you! I thought you were gone, I thought someone…" I trialed off and began punching Paige angrily in the stomach, breaking down even more as I continued punching her. My punches were soft and harmless and really just conveyed how much I didn't want to think about losing her. I was pissed that she made me go a moment thinking she was gone forever. Didn't she understand how much I worried about her? "Don't you ever, ever do that to me again Paige don't you get how much I care about you! I don't like thinking I've lost someone I love alright? I've dealt with enough of that and you are way to reckless and I just can't…" I couldn't lose her and the thought of her actions set me off again as I pushed her roughing on the bed.

Everything I did and said was full of such raw emotion and finally, after Paige apologizing I couldn't take it anymore and I pounced on top of her, kissing her again and asked her how she would feel if she thought I was dead. She tensed at the thought, bringing me some satisfaction as I rolled off of her and she stroked my hair. I was still unbelievably angry but I didn't want to fight with her right now. I had worn myself out. She stared at me with her deep eyes and I remembered every reason I was so scared of losing her.

"I love you too by the way" She whispered softly, smiling at me. I almost couldn't contain my shock and happiness at her words. By the look in her eye and the things she said to me before I knew it was true. I was still upset and my reply to her beautiful words wasn't the nicest but she went on to explain why she ran away instead of coming to me. When she tried to joke and kiss me it was too much and I pulled away. The look that crossed her face broke my heart and when her tears began to fall I realised how unfair I was being. She had a very tough day and I wasn't helping her when she needed me. I cupped her cheek and she visibly relaxed into my touch. I softly calmed her and let her know how much I loved her.

"I do love you, a lot actually, although you make it a very emotional job sometimes. Stop fighting with yourself and _talk _to me"

She leaned in and gave me a soft kiss. "I love you Emily, I really do. I don't think there was ever a doubt in my mind" She muttered it again and I smiled, she really made it hard to stay mad at her. Her confession sparked my curiosity.

"Last night then?" I teased, hoping for a real answer.

"Well you just surprised me I guess. I didn't expect you to say it so soon I thought maybe if you said it you would want to take it back or something" I tried to tell her that could never happen but she cut me off, putting her finger delicately over my lips. "Relax, babe. I know you meant it I was being stupid, and I was also being stupid today for scaring you like that so tell me how to make it up to you and I will do anything"

She was truly incredible. Thinking I would regret loving her? My heart still fluttered at her calling me 'babe' she had no idea the effect that could have on me, or did she? She was impossible _not _to love. Everything about her was just beautiful. Only Paige McCullers could get me so scared, angry, and blissfully, stupidly happy in a matter of 20 minutes. That was one of the many reasons I loved Paige McCullers.

"Shot gun" Spencer called as we approached Paige's car.

"You can't be serious Spencer!" I whined, looking to Paige for back up.

"Sorry, babe. She called it. There's nothing I can do for you" Paige laughed and held her hand up for Spencer to high five her.

"Ugh! you guys are awful" I whined. I looked at Paige and smiled thoughtfully. "Actually, I'll just sit behind the driver's seat then, I think I'd prefer that anyway" I smiled devilishly.

Paige's face dropped "No! Emily come on be nice" Paige whined, knowing I was planning on torturing her the entire drive.

I looked her in the eye and grazed my hand along her forearm before getting in the car, "Maybe I plan on being extra nice" I whispered seductively, smiling as I heard her gulp.

Hanna cleared her throat and looked at us, "Sorry, Emily I'd like to make it to Philly in once piece so you'll be keeping your hands to yourself on this little road trip" Hanna climbed into the middle seat and I moved in beside her as Aria climbed in the other side.

It was Friday afternoon and we were all on our way to Kelly's house for the night. Paige had asked Kelly to have a small get together and Kelly's only request was to 'bring Hanna' so Paige insisted on making a road trip of it and inviting all of the girls. According to Paige, Kelly had a way of getting the words 'small party' mixed up with 'go ahead and invite the entire high school' so it was bound to be an exciting night.

"Wow, Hanna. Are you actually not squealing at the thought of them touching for once?" Aria joked.

Hanna huffed and nodded, "For my own safety obviously, besides I'm sure Emily can hold out for an hour cause' they're going to be all over eachoth—"

"Hanna!" Paige and Spencer yelled. They looked at each other and grinned. Usually Aria and I just let Hanna say what she wanted, for one it was easier than hearing her whine and two, usually it was absolutely hilarious, that is of course until she took it _too_ far. Spencer was usually the one to cut her off, but lately Paige had taken it upon herself to be Spencer's backup and vice versa. Their friendship was funny because they would spend most of the time competing but when it came to Hanna's loud mouth they had each other's back.

"I'm just saying we all know you're _doing it_. We've all seen the hickys and nail marks on Paige. And everyone thinks you're the sweet one, Em" Hanna spoke nonchalantly but we were all staring open mouthed at her. Paige burst out in a fit of laughter, clearly not embarrassed at Hanna's observations. I on the other hand felt the burn as my cheeks reddened and I hid my face in my hands.

Paige spoke through her laugher, "Sorry, Em" she tried to hide her smile but I could see it in the reflection of the mirror. Aria and Spencer began laughing to and I was the only one left feeling embarrassed.

Spencer looked back at me, "Don't be embarrassed, Emily, we're all friends here. It's not bugging Paige at all"

"Actually I'm just laughing at Emily" Paige said. "Well that and the fact that Hanna is completely wrong because despite appearances, me and Emily haven't done _it _yet, sorry to disappoint you, Hanna" Paige joked.

I couldn't take anymore humor at my expense, "Ugh! I don't want to be talking about my sex life in the car guys come on!" I begged.

Spencer chuckled lightly, "What sex life?" Everyone burst out laughing at my expense again. Hanna even had tears running down her face. Paige high fived Spencer and continued laughing at me.

"Well if it's so funny, I guess Paige can do without me tonight" Paige looked in the mirror questioningly at me, clearly my intentions hadn't sunk in.

Hanna clued in on what I meant and laughed, "Uh oh, Paigey! Looks like you've been put in the dog house tonight. Good luck with that, Em. Because when you're not all over Paige, Paige can't keep her hands off you, your plan is going to fail miserably"

Paige gulped as Hanna pointed out that she wouldn't be getting any attention from me tonight. I smiled as my threat had the desired effect and I decided I would pretend to stick to my plan. I didn't like being teased and Paige enjoyed our kisses. "Oh C'mon, Em! We were only joking" Paige whined. I rolled my eyes and looked away from her, if I looked into her eyes I would have caved.

"Nope! I'm not budging. No kissing, no hugging… I don't even think I feel like holding your hand tonight" I joked. Aria and Hanna laughed and Spencer shot Paige an apologetic smile.

"20 bucks says Emily caves first" Hanna called out.

"What you guys can't be—" I was cut off by Spencer

"Yeah right! Have you seen the way Paige stares at Emily! She doesn't take her eyes off the girl! I'm putting 20 on Paige making the first move tonight" Oh great! Now I had to stick with my plan for my own honor.

Paige cleared her throat, "Hold up guys I'm not sure if—"

"Oh hush, Paige! Aria, Place your bet!" Spencer looked at her expectantly. Of course with Spencer in on it, she was all about winning now. There goes my fun with teasing Paige.

Aria thought for a moment, "Paige is going to cave first" Paige looked at her accusingly. "Sorry, but you will! I mean we're going to meet your friends and you're going to be drinking tonight and you're going to want to show off to your friends…" Aria trailed off.

I smiled victoriously. Aria had made a very good point, and if I played my cards right, I wouldn't have to face losing my pride _again_ today.

The rest of the car ride was spent with Spencer, Hanna and Aria talking logistics and rules. Basically, if me and Paige did anything more than hold hands, the bet was over and we'd have to admit to who instigated it. Leave it to my friends to ruin the fun of holding my girlfriend. We arrived at Kelly's house in town and noticed the driveway and street was already packed with cars. It was only 8:00 but the place already looked pretty busy.

We climbed out of Paige's car and Paige looked at me thoughtfully before reaching for my hand. She stared deeply into my eyes and I had to fight every urge to kiss her cheek. The desire must have been the same for her because she focused her eyes on the house and began walking. I laughed lightly, Paige looked keyed up to see her friends and she practically dragged me behind her to Kelly's door before walking in. She stopped and looked at me again, "I love you, and because of that I should warn you that some of my friends are pretty weird. Oh and don't hang out with any sketchy looking people please, because I wasn't kidding when I said Kelly invited _everyone_"

"I'm planning on spending the entire night by your side anyways, so there's no need to worry about me" I responded.

Paige pulled the door open, taking my bags and running up stairs quickly before coming back down. "We're the first bedroom on the right, Everyone's probably in the back-room, C'mon guys" Paige led us through the house and opened the door to a large recreation room. Kelly saw us entering and waved before running over to us. I looked around and there were already about 30 people here and more people were coming in behind us.

"Paige! You made it!" Kelly called and several others looked up.

"Paaaiiiige!" a few people yelled before running over and crushing her into a hug. She returned the hug just as much and I brightened at seeing Paige interact with her friends.

I watched as different people approached Paige, hugging her and saying they missed her. Paige looked so happy and so comfortable it made me smile. After about 10 minutes of random people greeting her she reached over and took my hand again. She introduced me to a few of the people who she was chatting with and they each greeted me enthusiastically whist giving Paige high fives or winks. It was great to see that Paige's friends were so open minded and happy for her.

"Everyone listen up for a sec! This is Emily, my girlfriend!" She called to the group. "These are Aria, Spencer and Hanna, they are from Rosewood and they are awesome" Everyone mumbled drunken hellos and returned to their various activities in the room. The TV was on and a few people were watching an episode of _How I Met Your Mother, _a large group of people were playing a game of flip cup and cheering people on, and then there were various groups of people scattered about the large space.

A group of 3 girls and 2 boys walked up and Paige smiled brightly at them. The tall blonde boy walked looked me up and down, "Damn, McCullers! When Kelly told me you had a girlfriend this is _not _what we were picturing at all" The group laughed and Paige joined in.

"Em, this is Devon, he's kind of an ass but we accept him" Paige introduced me to the others but I quickly forgot their names. Devon held three shots up and gave them all to Paige.

"First order of business, you need to get drinking" He ordered. Paige rolled her eyes and handed me one of the shots.

"Can I at least get a chase before I do these?" Paige asked.

"That's what this is for" Devon held up a can of beer and the group began cheering her on. Paige rolled her eyes and did the first shot, then the second, and took the beer from Devon and began chugging it. I watched in shock as she finished the entire thing before I began clapping and cheering along with everyone else in the group. I looked at the shot Paige gave and downed it quickly. I could tell Paige wasn't holding back tonight and it made me smile to be able to see her in the life she had before Rosewood. She seemed like such a bright and happy person and it reminded me of how opposite it was the day I first met her. I pushed that thought from my mind and began enjoying the night with Paige.

I spent most of the night by Paige's side, watching her with her friends, having a good time and looking happy as ever. She was quite drunk but she was full of energy. She was literally the life of the party, going from person to person chatting and having a good time. I stayed relatively sober, not wanting to make a fool of myself in front of Paige's friends. We played a few rounds of flip cup and now we were sitting on the couch while Paige was chatting and joking with a few people. Paige seemed so different here. She told me she had a large group of friends which wasn't surprising but what got me was that _everyone _liked her. It seemed like everyone who came to the party was here for Paige.

Paige looked at me lovingly and raised her hand to stroke my cheek, "Emily you are sooooo fantastic! Everyone loves you, see! How could they not you're my girlfriend and everybody likes a pretty girl like you" Paige rambled.

I laughed and touched her hand on my cheek, "Paige you are way too cute for your own good. But you also just caused Hanna to lose the bet" I smiled triumphantly.

Paige looked at her hand and shrugged. "So I lost! You're too hard to resist Emily and if I get to do this," Paige leaned in and kissed me softly, "It feels like a win to me" I leaned in and kissed her back and she pulled me closer until I was almost sitting on her lap. The room full of people was momentarily forgotten as I gave into Paige's lips. Cheers and whistles erupted in the room along with some 'way to go Paige' and 'how hot is that?' I pulled away, very embarrassed but Paige just laughed and wrapped her arm around my shoulders. Kelly wandered over to us, handing us a couple of drinks, insisting that I catch up with Paige. With that, I decided it was alright for me to let loose and I began drinking a little more. I felt safe and comfortable knowing I had Paige here.

**Paige's POV-**

I stumbled over to my friends Devon and Tracy, and pretended to listen to their conversation. I was really too drunk to notice what they were talking about but I nodded and laughed along. Tonight was amazing, I really couldn't ask for a better way to spend a Friday. In Philly with my greatest friends and my girlfriend. Emily. I smiled as I thought about her. I wondered where she was. It was about 1:00 and the place was packed with people. A lot of them I didn't even recognise but Kelly ensured me that she had at least _seen _these people around school. It made me a little bit uncomfortable with so many randoms here and no Emily in sight. I excused myself from the conversation and stumbled around looking for her. She was probably with Spencer, Aria and Hanna but I wanted to be sure. I saw Hanna talking to Kelly with Spencer and Aria but no sign of Emily.

I stumbled around a little more until I caught sight of her beautiful dark eyes. I looked at her and smiled. She hadn't noticed me as she was talking to some guy. I tore my eyes away to get a good look at who it was and when I took in the dark curls I gulped. _Trevor_. How lucky was I that Emily had found the one guy I wouldn't ever want her to meet. This was the creep who had taken advantage of my intoxicated state last year. It wasn't like I was completely innocent in the situation but from what I remember he was more than willing to push drinks my way the entire night, leading us to the bedroom and to a morning of pain and regret for me.

He was the typical douchie jock except he took things a level to far. He was a year older, meaning he was graduated and really I didn't see why he found it appropriate to be at this party. He used to hang around my friends a lot but after that night I wanted nothing to do with him. It was not below him to make a scene if I asked him to leave.

I focused in on how close he was standing to Emily, who was clearly uncomfortable with his proximity. Watching the way he was looking at her like she was his for the taking sobered me up immediately. This was more than unjustified jealousy, I felt the sudden need to protect Emily and get her out of there before he did something. And I had no doubt in my mind that he would do something if he were given the chance. I had heard many people talk about how hot the Rosewood girls were tonight but I brushed it off because I was proud to have one of them on my arm. Trevor was different because he had no boundaries, this I had learned from experience.

I saw a cocky smile form on his lips and he leaned towards her slightly. Emily looked panic stricken and I knew it was time for me to intervene. I walked up behind her and wrapped my arms protectively around her waist. At first she tensed and tried to jump away, but when she looked down and saw my hands she immediately relaxed, leaning back into me. I drunkenly kissed up and down her neck and shoulder, trying to show Trevor that she wasn't his for the taking. Not tonight, not ever.

I looked up at him and he was looking at me with that same cocky grin with a hint of amusement and shock. "Paige.. I heard you were going to be here. Long time no see" He winked suggestively and I held Emily tighter to me.

I responded as politely as I could manage, "I see you've met my girlfriend, Emily."

He looked at Emily again with a possessive glance that nearly set me off, "Girlfriend huh? Last time I checked, you were pretty straight? I heard you were here tonight so I thought I'd stop by. I know it's been awhile but last time we…hung out I remember we had a good time." I felt Emily tense as she realized who this person was to me. I released my right arm from her waist, and moved to stand beside her, keeping my left arm wrapped protectively around her. This created somewhat of a barrier between her and Trevor, which put me a little more at ease.

I looked at him, controlling my disgust and began talking calmly, playing along with his game, "Yes, girlfriend. But Trevor I really _can't_ _remember _the last time we hung out" I hoped he'd get the double meaning of my last sentence.

He squinted his eyes at me as he thought, and then looked back at Emily again, "You're seriously a dyke now?" He asked disgustedly, raising his voice. He drew the attention of a few people who had stopped to watch us. "You can't be serious, Paige. Do you really think anyone here approves of _that? _I mean, what would your father think?" He laughed cruelly, obviously trying to get a reaction out of me. If it had been any other day I would have but Emily in my grasp kept me grounded. I pulled Emily behind me slightly and she pushed against my body, pushing herself towards Trevor.

"You can go to hell for all I care, Paige is with me. I can understand how that might suck, I mean I'd never want to have a night without Paige" Emily spoke calmly to my surprise I looked at her and realised that she was actually very scared of him. She was shaking slightly and had a panicked expression. I could tell she wanted nothing more than for this guy to leave her alone. I knew Trevor was harmless if you weren't senselessly drunk, but Emily wouldn't know that. I pulled her closer to me, trying to comfort her and gave Trevor a curt nod.

"Oh please" Trevor scoffed. "Paige will come _crawling _back to me soon enough, you're just another one of her hook ups, _dikey" _He yelled the insult loudly, causing several people to wonder over to see what was up. I was about to speak my mind but Emily began tugging nervously at my shirt, looking at me pleadingly. I remembered again how scared she was of this guy.

Devon and my other friend Andy came and put a hand on Trevor's shoulders, putting a barrier between us and him.

"I think its time you left now, Trevor. You know you're not welcome here, and don't even think about coming back anytime soon" Devon pushed him slightly and Trevor smirked and raised his hands in defence.

"That's really too bad" He leaned around Devon and Andy to catch Emily's gaze, "You make sure she has a good time tonight, Emily. I'm sure she'll be thinking of me when she does" With that, he turned around and walked away before either of us could respond. I felt Emily shudder against me. I mouthed a thank you to Devon and Andy, I would have to thank them properly tomorrow but for now I could tell Emily needed to be reassured.

"Come on, Em. We're going to bed" I dragged her along with me to say our goodnights to everybody. Emily was oddly silent the entire time. This whole ordeal must have really shocked her and I could understand why. It was horrible for me to have to face him but I had dealt with it. I knew he was a creep and I moved on with my life. I also came from the city, I dealt with people like this my entire life. Small town Emily Fields had probably never experienced a true weirdo before.

We went upstairs and got changed without saying a word. The silence was killing me and I couldn't figure out what she was thinking. "Are you alright Emily? You're starting to worry me here"

She looked up at me before smiling weakly. "that was…" She trailed off and I nodded. "I can't believe he would…" She looked down. I took her hand and guided her to the bed, laying back and pulling her into my arms.

"What did he say to you before I came over?"

"Nothing really. He was asking about me and then he asked if I wanted to go for a walk. I told him no thank you and he was getting really pushy about it and then he leaned closer to me and…and.. you showed up and saved me. If I had known he was the guy… I would have—"

I laughed lightly, "I know you would have, and I fear for his life now that you know who he is" I joked. "How you managed to meet the one guy I never want you near at this huge party is beyond me. But I guess you know how it happened now, he targets particularly drunk girls"

Emily looked at me sadly, "I feel like you were a victim to that guy. Its repulsive" I tensed at Emily's sudden disgust. Would she find me less appealing now that she met the _repulsive _guy from my past?

"You could look at it that way. Honestly, it's just embarrassing for me to not remember and how I let myself stoop so low…" I trailed off.

Emily's eyes saddened, "I didn't mean that its repulsive that you did that, Paige. I mean its repulsive that guys like that exist at all and that _you _of all people had to be the victim"

I chuckled at her. "So are you going to make sure I have a good time tonight? Don't worry he's the last thing on my mind right now" Emily laughed at my sudden topic change. I wasn't really comfortable talking about Trevor especially with Emily wrapped to close to me in bed.

"You're funny, Paige. He really did kill the mood tonight didn't he?" I laughed and nodded in agreement. That was probably his intention with his last comment.

I cupped her face and gave her a sweet kiss goodnight before settling my arms around her and watching her drift to sleep. I ran my fingers gently through her beautiful dark hair and kissed her head softly. She snuggled her face further into my neck and I shuddered as her warm breath tickled my neck. I always heard about people complaining cuddling in bed was the most uncomfortable and annoying way to sleep but I had to disagree. Holding Emily tight in my arms the entire night was the most relaxing feeling in the world and I didn't think I could ever find something so amazing an annoyance.

"Goodnight Emily. I love you" I whispered softly before closing my eyes. I thought she was already asleep but some part of her must have still been conscious because I felt her smile into my neck.

"S'love you too, Paige. Sooooo much" And with that, we drifted to sleep together.

Our drive home the next day was quiet. Hanna and Spencer were very hung over and I was pretty glum having to leave my friends again. Even with Emily here it was still tough to go back to Rosewood. I made myself think forward to the first swim meet of the season this coming week. I would finally have the chance to compete as a Rosewood Shark officially for the first time. It was a little intimidating and nerve racking to think about. I had a lot to prove in one year in order to earn a scholarship. I was hoping for Danby, like Emily but I would settle for just about any offer. My father wouldn't settle. I reminded myself that I wasn't living by his standards anymore so I pushed that thought from my mind and began imagining life at Danby, with Emily. It was so weird to think that far into the future but what scared me the most was that I could actually picture it. Training with her, living with her. It could really be an amazing four years. I was interested in Danby before I came to Rosewood and to find out that was a top choice for Emily as well was great news. I could have to put in some real effort and prove my worth if Danby was to consider two swimmers from the same high school. If anyone could pull that off, it would be from Rosewood and me and Emily could be prime candidates for scholarships. We just had to show how much it meant. This swim season could depict my whole future. My dreams at Danby, then swimming for the US team before settling down to coach somewhere. That was my hopeful future and now Emily's future was beginning to weave its way into my life. There was so much to consider and this first swim meet could be the beginning of it all.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N- Lengthy Update! Sorry, writing time passing is very difficult to me so this jumps ahead a couple of weeks yet again so the transitions are a little bit awkward. This really sort of two separate short stories in one chapter. Next update will get back into the flow of things!**

**As always suggestions are welcome and I will usually add them in one way or another and thanks to people who take the time to review or PM, its really helpful to me! **

**Story is probably about half way done now and as long as I have time it should be finished before season 4 begins **

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"I just don't know if I'm ready" I complained to Emily as we boarded the bus. It was the third week of October. Swim season had officially begun and we were on our way to the first meet of the season.

Emily glared at me. "oh would you stop it, you're going to do fine and we all know it" Emily guided us to a seat in the middle of the bus, pushing me to sit at the window seat. I rolled my eyes and sat down where she wanted me to. It was a long bus ride to Scranton, not that I minded if I was spending time with Emily.

I was pretty nervous for my first official meet as a Shark, and lucky for me I was playing a pretty big part in today's competition. I was anchoring a couple relays and starting in the ones that Emily was anchoring. The coach had split it pretty evenly between us, which was nice because it didn't put any strains on our relationship. I also was competing in most of the individual races, along with Emily and a few others, so our day was pretty busy.

The bus was on its way shortly and I felt my nerves begin to rise again. I put my music in my ears and tried to focus on my breathing. It always helped calm me before my meets and had turned into sort of a meditation thing for me. Emily glared at me again and ripped the ear buds away from me. "Are you seriously going to listen to music the entire time? I'm not sitting with you if that's how this is going to go" She complained.

I rolled my eyes at her, "I never said you had to sit with me" I mumbled crankily. It was early and I was stressed.

Emily glared and turned away from me, starting a conversation with Jess who was sitting behind us. I shrugged my shoulders and put my music back in before closing my eyes. At some point I must have fallen asleep because I woke up with my face plastered to the window and Emily and a few other girls snapping pictures of me and laughing.

"Oh C'mon guys!" I groaned. They laughed hysterically as I tried to snatch their phones away from them but it was pointless. I turned to Emily accusingly and she shrugged her shoulders at me.

"That's what you get for being grumpy with me" She smirked and I pushed her lightly in the shoulder. She responded with a shove back. I decided to use her weakness against her and began tickling her sides, causing her to giggle and try and escape. The other girls around us were laughing at our fight, even Coach Fulton had cracked a smile at us. Of course the only two people that weren't smiling were Megan and Chelsea, but they were pretty easy to ignore these days.

I gave up tickling her after a few minutes, satisfied that I had annoyed her, and everyone began losing interest, moving back to their seats and talking amongst themselves, leaving me and Emily to ourselves. I went to put my music back in but Emily pulled my ear buds away again before leaning into my ear, "Don't you dare" She whispered. Her breath against my ear sent chills down my spine and I gulped involuntarily.

"or what?" I asked, smirking cockily.

Emily pretended to think for a moment before looking me devilishly in the eye. She was definitely up to something. "Try me and you'll see" she threatened. I challenged her by putting my earphones in one at a time while looking her in the eyes before turning towards the window and shutting my eyes again. I was expecting her to steal my iPod or something but what she did next was a complete shock. She curled up into my side and placed her hand on my inner thigh just above my knee. I looked at her and smiled before closing my eyes again, I assumed she had just given up and wanted some rest. Of course, this was Emily and she had other plans that involved torturing her girlfriend as much as possible.

It started slowly, with her just rubbing her hand over my knee a few times. Then she began trailing higher, ever so slowly, trying to test me but I wasn't giving in. How far could she push me on a bus full of our teammates? Her hand trailed higher and higher until she reached my groin. She began subtly rubbing circles over my upper inner thigh and I let out and uncontrollable moan. Her other hand had found its way to my waist where she began toying with the hem of my shirt. I couldn't let this keep going or the whole team would hear me.

I reached up and pulled out my earphones, "Em, what are you doing?" I whispered.

She looked up at me innocently "I don't know what you're talking about" She whispered back, continuing with her hands. She had gotten brave and ran her hand under my shirt, caressing along my abs, causing the muscles to contract under her touch. I could feel the warmth tingle through my entire body. Emily was driving me completely wild.

Apparently her touch was having a similar effect on herself because she let out gasp of her own when my muscles moved beneath her fingers. She looked up at me teasingly and smiled, "you're abs are such a turn on, Paige" she whispered. That was it, I couldn't take anymore. I leaned in to kiss her roughly but she pushed me away, removing her hands from my thigh and under my shirt.

"God, Paige. Have some class, we're on a bus full of our teammates for crying out loud" Emily scolded. She was such a tease sometimes. This week, it had been particularly harder for us to keep our hands off each other. There had been so much built up sexual tension lately and it resulted in a lot of bickering between us.

"How can someone so cute be so awful?" I asked, defeated.

Ten minutes before the start of our first meet. I knew deep down I didn't have much to worry about but I couldn't help myself from fidgeting nervously. I focused on the calm water. Even in a stadium full of cheers and screams, the water remained still, waiting for us. Suddenly the confidence I was used to having when it came to my swimming abilities came back. I could do this, I was conditioned to do this, and we were going to win today. Rosewood Sharks were seeded to win first. Coach Fulton got us in a circle and gave a quick pep talk about doing our best and setting the bar for the rest of the season. I found her coaching the perfect mix between motivating us to be our best, high expectations, but also making sure we knew how to have fun. I was anchoring the first relay medley and Emily was starting. We put on our caps and goggles and Emily made her way to the starting blocks. I took her hand and gave it a squeeze.

"Show them how it's done, Em" I whispered in her ear. I stepped away from her, letting her focus and allowing myself to get my head in the game. Everything went quiet as each team lined up on the blocks. The whistle blew and Emily was off, having a great start and gliding gracefully through the water without trouble. She was in second but gaining on the person in first. The girl in the lane next to her was a few strokes behind but I could tell Emily wasn't going to have trouble getting a lead on her. Her approach to her turn was a little flawed but she corrected it with a powerful kick, closing in on the girl in first. She quickly overtook her, putting us a few strokes ahead as she hit the wall. Jess wasting no time in jumping over her, determined to maintain our lead. Coach Fulton gave her a pat on the back and I gave her a loving smile, she had given us a great start. I heard the rest of the team give her cheers and approval as I went back to focusing on the race. Jess had not gained any more strokes on the team in second but we hadn't lost any of our lead either. She hit the wall and Megan dove in. I took a deep breath and approached the blocks. Emily came and stood next to me while watching the competition. The third girl for the team in second was powerful. She gained on Megan rather quickly and overpowered her in the turn. Coach Fulton had warned us about her.

I focused hard on what I would have to do in order to gain a lead again. My turns were always the strongest attribute of my swimming, where it was most athletes' weak point. I got on the starting blocks, deciding I would reserve a burst of energy for my turn, giving it my all in the last half of my leg.. This was a technique I had perfected, although coaches did not encourage me to use it because it was a risk. If I screwed up the turn, it could mean losing the race, but if it worked, I would overtake my opponent. It was a tough technique to execute but I was confident I could do it.

Megan hit the wall, and I dove in simultaneously. I focused on my stokes, keeping my rhythm but not working to my fullest. I was maintaining our position in second but had yet to close the distance on the girl in front of me. _one, two, three, breath. One, two, three, breath. _I was approaching the wall. This was it, my opportunity to take the lead. I closed in on myself, putting my feet to the wall and executing a perfect turn. I pushed off the wall with all of my force before bursting in hard, long, powerful strokes. I had already gained on the girl just from my turn, and now with my harder strokes, I was at pace with her, quickly taking the lead. This didn't slow me down though. I continued building my speed and building my speed until I hit the wall. I heard cheers and applause erupt from my teammates. Emily took my hands and pulled me from the water before pulling me into a tight embrace. The rest of the team joined in, making a group hug with me and Emily squished in the middle.

Emily spoke into my ear, "Paige that was amazing! You put a good five strokes between you and that girl. I think you just beat your personal best!" I tried to pull away from her to even out my breathing and respond but everyone was pushing us into and Emily and Paige sandwich.

"I. can't. breath. Guys." I panted as everyone except for Emily let go and pulled away. Emily placed a quick kiss to my cheek before pulling away and throwing me my warm up track suit.

Coach Fulton approached me with a smile. "Great job out there ladies. Paige, that was impressive! as a team, we've set new PB for a first competition for the Medley. Be proud ladies, this is exactly the type of start we want." She smiled at me and everyone gave the four of us a pat on the back in congratulations.

Emily slapped my butt playfully whilst winking at me. "Told you, superstar" I rolled my eyes at her gesture and I took her hand and we went and sat on the team bleachers together, waiting for our next race to come.

The rest of the meet went much the same way. We had won overall, setting a few new records and setting the bar for the season, as the Coach put it. The bus ride home was quiet, everyone was exhausted and sleeping off the tiring meet. Emily was snuggled into my side, sleeping on my shoulder while I ran my hands through her slightly damp hair.

It was so strange, going from never being attracted to anyone to being this in love with someone. Not just someone, _Emily_. It scared me how deep I was in it with her, but it was a good kind of scared and I wouldn't trade the feeling for anything else in the world. I felt so comfortable with her and she just let me be myself, and accepted me for who I am. She was such a compassionate person, she had a place in her heart for everyone and was unconditionally understanding of me, even when I did stupid things like break mirrors and turn my apartment into a disaster. She was a fun, happy person who I could tease and be my dorky self around. We got cranky with each other, but mostly in the name of how much we cared for one another. I loved how sassy she could be, her aggressive side and her sweet, loving self. Thinking about everything Emily made me fall for her that much more. I don't know what I did to deserve her but I would never stop showing her how much I appreciate her.

I leaned down and placed a kiss in her hair and she yawned adorably into my shoulder before looking up to me with sleepy eyes. She smiled a cute, cheeky grin, "You look like you're thinking hard. What's going on in that beautiful head of yours?" Emily asked curiously.

I smiled back at her, "Just you" I responded honestly. She smiled widely at me, blushing cutely.

"Well I must be pretty great if you're smiling that widely" Emily joked.

"You have no idea" I poked her nose and she squealed at me before snuggling back onto me and draping her hands across my stomach.

We arrived back at the school around 10:00pm and Emily was still sleeping soundly on my side. I nudged her gently, trying to wake her up. She looked positively exhausted so I pulled her up gently, wrapping my arms around her waist and guiding her off the bus.

She looked at me as if to say thank you before pulling away from me, turning towards her vehicle. I grabbed her arm and pulled her back to me, "Em, let me drive you're not driving this tired" I wouldn't put her in danger like that. She rubbed her eyes and shook her head at me.

"I'm fine, Paige. I'm not going to make you drive out of the way just to drop me off." I held her arm tighter and began towing her towards my car.

"It wasn't an offer, Emily, I'm taking you home" She stopped and looked me in the eyes lovingly before taking my hand and walking with me towards my car.

"Who's the worried one now?" She mumbled. I chucked at her half hearted sass and opened the passenger door for her. I went around and got in the driver's side and she was beginning to look a little more alert as I started the car and put the heater on. "Paige?" Emily asked, looking at me innocently.

"What's on your mind, Em?"

"What if I just…stayed with you tonight?" She looked at me nervously and I grinned at her. "I'll text my mom and let her know I was too tired to drive, she'll understand" Emily reasoned. Her mom probably wouldn't be thrilled with it being a school night and us being alone but if she was really concerned I figured she would just come and pick Emily up from the apartment.

"I would love that" I answered simply. As we drove back towards the apartment Emily fell asleep and I chuckled to myself. I was glad I didn't let her drive tonight, I wouldn't have been able to function without knowing she got home ok. When we arrived at the apartment I opened the passenger door for her and took her into my arms, she was only half awake but I managed to guide inside and get her into a pair of pajamas before tucking her in. I took her phone to make sure she texted her mom, seeing that her mom had sent a reply,

**Okay. Make sure you rest up and thank Paige for looking out for you- mom 3 **

I chuckled at the subtle warning that Emily should 'rest up'. Maybe Pam hadn't intended it that way but I still couldn't help but think she was assuming me and Emily would be doing more than sleeping. I smiled at the thought that Pam liked me enough that she would let Emily stay with me despite her assumptions.

I climbed into my bed next to Emily, taking her hand and giving it a gentle squeeze before drifting off, exhausted after the stress and physical demand of my first meet.

I woke up early the next morning with no Emily in sight so I dragged myself out of bed and made my way to the kitchen where she had poured up a couple bowls of cereal. I smiled and gave her a kiss on the cheek before taking my bowl and passing her a spoon. Mornings like this felt pretty great.

"What's got you up this early?" I asked with genuine curiosity. It was just past 6:00 and Emily seemed so exhausted last night I figured she would be cranky this morning. It was a delightful surprise to see that she was overly cheery.

"Got a good rest I suppose. Hey, you know what's coming up next month?" I shook my head and she continued. "That Formal you asked me to! They finally finished the renovations on the gym floor so it's finally happening." She smiled and pointed to the calendar on my table. Exactly one month away she had marked the date for me.

I smiled thoughtfully, "Wow I almost forgot about that dance. I guess I should get some nice clothes for that or something" I joked.

Emily rolled her eyes at me. "Well it's not called a formal for no reason" Emily shot back.

"I'll have to make a trip up to Philly sometime and find a dress that makes me worthy to be your date then, Ms. Fields" Kelly was a whiz when it came to helping me find clothes so I figured next weekend she could help me out. I wanted to have a special night with Emily, seeing as we were both going to be busy between now and then with school and weekly swim meets.

Emily made a face at me, "Stop being so sweet. Seriously though I can't wait to dance with you _all night long_."

I groaned at the thought of my un-rhythmic, awful two left feet moving along with a graceful Emily Fields. "You can dance, I'm going to hang out by the punch bowl that will hopefully have more that punch"

Emily rolled her eyes again, "we'll see about that" She challenged. It seemed like she was finally figuring out that I couldn't really resist much when she asked me. I would no doubt be dancing next to Emily the entire night much to my own embarrassment.

"You know what? I don't even know what kind of music you like" With that she flitted over the stereo on the counter and turned it on. "What CD do you have in here anyways?" She fiddled with the volume and my favorite artist began to sing.

"It's PINK. Her newer CD" I explained. I had been playing the CD on repeat throughout the apartment for the last couple of weeks.

Emily smiled, "I could have figured she'd be one of your favorites. You're very 'pop rock' Paige." She said the last part teasingly and I stuck my tongue out at her.

"Hey! No knocking PINK or we're not going to work out" I joked. "She's amazing and you know it. I defended.

Emily laughed at my sudden outburst, "I was kidding, Paige. I think she's amazing I just like seeing you get all defensive."

"Her lyrics are so raw, there's nothing fluffy or fake in her songs. Anyone can relate to at least one of her songs" I explained.

"'At the same time I wanna hug you, I wanna wrap my hands around your neck'?" Emily suggested. "I can definitely relate to that" She pointed at me and I went to swat her shoulder but she ducked out of the way.

"You're gonna regret that Fields!" We spent the rest of the morning chasing each other around the apartment, singing along with the CD.

It was a Saturday afternoon and I had still heard nothing from Emily. We had made plans to go for a 'fun' swim at Spencer's today but she hadn't replied to any of her text messages. I tried calling her cell but there was still no answer. I gave up and tried to call the house, wondering if she lost her cell phone or something.

"Hello!" It was the sound of a very frantic Pam on the other line.

"Hi, Pam its Paige"

"Oh" Pam sounded very disappointed and I wondered what was bothering her so much. I hoped I hadn't upset her the last time I was over or something.

"Is Emily home? She was supposed to meet me today but I haven't heard from her" I explained.

The line was silent for a moment and I wondered if she hung up. Finally I heard her voice again, "Emily won't be coming out today, Paige. Sorry." She sounded exhausted and I wondered what was going on.

"Is everything alright, Pam? Is she sick or something?" I asked worriedly. Maybe Pam was sick too.

Pam sighed, sounding slightly annoyed and I felt weak all the sudden. "Look I really can't talk right now, Paige. Emily will call you when she's ready but you can't call here today" with that, Pam hung up and I was left extremely confused.

I guess Emily wouldn't be joining me today so I headed to Spencer's to enjoy the heated pool with the rest of the girls. Maybe they could give me some insight as to what was wrong, after all they still knew the Fields much better than I did. I was only hoping I hadn't done anything personally.

"Where's Emily?" Spencer asked when I walked around to meet with her and the other girls in the backyard. It was a cool November day but Spencer had promised that her pool was heated so me and Emily had been more than eager to go for a swim. _Well now it was just me._

"Couldn't make it suddenly" I explained.

Spencer looked at me questioningly. "Huh. Well hopefully she'll show up later but for now, let's dive in!" Spencer did a huge cannon ball in front of me, effectively soaking my clothing.

"You're dead Hastings" I striped down to my bathing suit and cannon balled right next to her. We had a splash fight until Hanna forbid us from splashing when she was in the pool. We swam around for a couple of hours, enjoying the warm water. I was having a blast with the girls but it didn't feel complete without Emily here. We got out of the pool and were lounging in the gazebo, Hanna teasing Spencer about some boy she was interested in. All I took from it was that his name was Toby and he was a 'fine piece' according to Hanna's standards. I focused in on the conversation after that, genuinely interested in Spencer's new interest.

"I don't just like him for his looks, Han. He's really sweet and he's such a good guy, like a really good person." Spencer spoke almost condescendingly towards Hanna.

Hanna scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Oh I know that! Emily said that about him when they were… well he's the one that convinced Emily it was ok if she liked Maya. Obviously he's a good guy. Talk to Emily, she's still close with him, maybe she can hook you up!"

I smiled. This kid seemed really great if he was that influential on Emily's life. In my mind, Spencer deserved a guy like that, she needed somebody sweet and relaxed to counterbalance her own self.

Spencer rolled her eyes at Hanna's suggestion, "Speaking of Emily, why couldn't she come today, Paige?"

"I was actually hoping one of you knew" I replied. "She didn't show and her mom said she wouldn't be coming today, that's all." They all looked up at me questioningly before looking at each other.

"I'll go check the news" Aria murmured before walking back to Spencer's house.

That confused me even more. What would the news have to do with anything? "Does someone mind cluing me in?" I asked, frustrated.

Spencer sighed and gestured for me to sit down. "Did you try calling the house?" She asked pressingly.

"Yeah. And Pam sounded very upset with me. Almost annoyed. Then she just told me not to call again and hung up." Spencer sighed again and looked at me like I should be getting something.

Hanna finally spoke up. "Yep. It's pretty typical" I shot her a questioning look. Pretty typical? Was Mrs. Fields angry with me?

"What did I do to make her so mad?" I asked aloud.

Aria came back with a laptop, looking gravely at Spencer and Hanna. Why was I still not being clued in? I was getting quite impatient and to be honest quite worried. She nodded slightly at Hanna and Spencer groaned.

"All the signs are there" Spencer looked at me finally, "Don't worry Paige, Pam isn't personally upset with you. She's just… well Aria give her the laptop"

Aria handed me the laptop and I began reading a CNN story explaining a US military base in Afghanistan was currently on a lockdown after receiving threat of a missile attack. It finally clicked. Emily and Pam were assuming that Mr. Fields was a part of this.

"It all makes sense." Spencer continued. "Emily's been pretty glum and irritable the last couple of weeks. That usually happens when she hasn't heard from her dad in a while. And now this…" she trailed off.

"Emily said she never checks the news." It was a dumb thing to say but the only thing I could think of. This was all beyond my comprehension. Emily's dad could really be in trouble.

"Well when its been a few weeks without any word from him…" Aria trailed off. "This happened once before and Paige it's not pretty. You may want to avoid the Fields house for now." She warned.

Her warning was a shock to me, "Why the hell would I do that? Emily needs us now more than ever" I wouldn't avoid the Fields house. That was the only destination I had in mind right now. I stood up, intent on sprinting to my car when Spencer grabbed my arm, pulling me back. I glared at her, forcing myself to cool down and listen for just a second. No need to upset Emily's friends.

Spencer shook her head, "Paige, Emily is not going to just let you hold her. We tried that last time and she said some hurtful things. Of course she didn't mean it but she's just going to lash out at you and you might just make things worse if you get angry. I made that mistake" Spencer looked at me sadly.

"I can take it" I explained surly. If Emily needed to yell I would let her. I tried to pull away but Spencer just gripped me harder.

"If warning you about Emily isn't enough then I should probably tell you about Mrs. Fields." Spencer continued. I saw Hanna and Aria tense out of the corner of my eye. "You've had the fortune of never seeing her angry or upset before, Paige. I can't even begin to describe… just how bad it is"

Hanna scoffed and looked at me, "That's an understatement. Last time she kicked us out and told us we had no right to ever show up again. Called us undeserving and useless kids and threatened to call the police if we stepped foot on her property. It made no sense but she was exhausted and vulnerable."

I nodded. "thank you for the warning. But there is no way in hell I'm letting Emily and Pam go through this alone." I brushed Spencer's arm off my shoulder and ran to my car. I stopped at my apartment first to grab an overnight back along with some Disney movies I knew Emily would like. I picked up some takeout from The Brew and sped over the Fields' residence. I didn't know what I would say to Pam but I decided I would be strong and not let whatever she said tonight get to me. This was about her and Emily and they were going through something unimaginable.

I left my bag in the car for now, but took the takeout with me and hesitantly knocked on the door. There was no answer at first so I rang the doorbell. Finally, as I was about to try and open the door myself, Pam opened the door. She looked worse than awful. It looked as though she hadn't slept in days and her eyes were red and puffy like she had been crying. Her eyes were wild looking which was shocking. Pam had always seemed to put together and emotionally in check. Seeing her so broken was heartbreaking.

"Emily isn't up to having visitors" Pam said coldly. I took a deep breath and held out the take out for her. She looked at it before glaring at me.

"I know. I know what's going on and I just want to help in any way I possibly can" I looked at her pleadingly, hoping she would understand.

She stared daggers at me, tears beginning to well up in her eyes. "You _don't _know!" She sneered. "You have no idea what's going on and you can't help us. Leave Paige." She went to close the door but I put my hand up, stopping it. She was about to start yelling but I cut her off.

"You're right. I don't know. But I do know you and Emily would _never _let me push you away so I will do the same for you" I said sincerely. I hoped the words would make her see I just wanted them to be okay. By the angry look on her face it obviously didn't work.

"This is more than some bully at school or a father who has no love for his child Paige." That stung. My chest ached at the more than true words. I almost let my emotions get to me. The anger that the truth brought. I clenched my fists and forced the tears not to fall. I had to remain strong for them. Pam would apologize, but that didn't mean what she said wasn't true. No. not now. I could think about that later but for now…

"You're right again. But Mrs. Fields, when I need you, you're here for me. I will _always _try my best to do the same, even if my efforts and my presence doesn't have nearly the same effect. You're like family to me, and you can't just push me away. I'm here _for you_."

She looked at me a little bit softer. "You can't change anything"

"I know. But I can hold you and Emily up until…until you hear from him" She looked at me defeated and her tears began to spill over. She opened the door and I pulled her in for a hug. She cried softly on my shoulder and I didn't say a word.

"Paige, I'm sorry about what—"

"Don't worry about it. Now's not the time" I reassured her. I knew she didn't mean what she said, it wasn't important right now. She pulled away from me, taking the food and walking to the kitchen. I followed her in. "You really should eat something" I suggested. I knew that her and Emily probably hadn't eaten since they got the news and they were probably starving.

"I'm fine" Pam tried to assure me. I didn't really buy it but I wouldn't push her anymore."Emily's up in her room. You've already done enough for me, Paige. Emily needs somebody who isn't a complete mess right now. I can't be there for her right now but you can." Pam began tearing up again and as if her moment of vulnerability with me was over, she stormed off to the living room. I heard the news channel playing softly in the background and my heart ached for what Pam Fields was experiencing.

I bound the stairs quickly, pausing to knock slightly on Emily's door. I tried to open it but it was locked. "Em? Babe it's me" I called softly. "do you want to let me in?"

There was nothing but silence. I thought she might be sleeping but I heard a few soft sobs. I sighed and tried the door again. It was still locked. "I'm going to be right out here until you're ready Emily. We're in this together okay?"

"I just want to be left alone" A broken voice called from the other side of the door. I knew exactly how she felt. Sometimes you felt so alone on the inside you couldn't help but feel like that's how it had to be.

"Okay. But I love you. So I'm not going anywhere." _Come on Emily, open the door_ I begged silently.

"I just _can't" _she broke down in sobs and I tried the door again and again. I needed her to open the door. She wasn't allowed to break down like this without me to wipe the tears from her eyes.

**Emily's POV-**

4 weeks. 4 weeks without a phone call. Not knowing got the best of my mother and I last night and we checked the news. _High alert. Possible Inbound Missiles. Lockdown. _The words repeated in my head over and over. Along with those words was the image of my father. I sobbed quietly in my bed. My mother was probably downstairs doing the same thing.

I heard the door bell ring but I just didn't care enough to go down and see who it was. Instead, I refreshed the internet page, waiting for further coverage of the events overseas. Still nothing. I flopped back on my bed, burying my head in the pillow. Waiting was torture. Me and my mother were passed the idea of comforting each other with 'he's fine' or 'that's probably not even his location'. It had been 4 weeks. Something was wrong.

I registered a soft knock at my door. Someone tried to open it but I had locked it shut. I was not in any position to have company right now.

"Em? Babe it's me" A soft voice called. "Do you want to let me in?" Paige. How did she manage to get passed my mom? I shuddered as I remembered what she said to the girls the last time this happened. It was messy and I could only imagine what she had said to Paige to try and get her to leave. Obviously, Paige hadn't given up because here she was. She probably had no clue what was going on but I really didn't care. Paige should just go home, I want to be alone. Better yet, I want my dad to be here, safe and alive to hold me.

"I'm going to be right out here until you're ready Emily. We're in this together okay?" she called softly. What did she mean by that? Did my mom tell her what happened? I couldn't imagine that.

"I just want to be left alone" my voice cracked and I stuffed my face against the pillow to soften my cries.

"Okay. But I love you. So I'm not going anywhere." Of course Paige wouldn't go anywhere. Paige wasn't exactly what I needed right now though. My father was the one thing I needed. I couldn't think of anyone but him right now, or else I was being selfish.

"I just _can't_" I sobbed deeply. I heard her try to open the door again and again. Why was she not getting it? I needed to be alone to my thoughts! "GO AWAY!" I screamed through my tears. I heard Paige hesitate for a second on the door knob and then complete silence. She must have finally heard my pleas and left. There were many reasons for me to push her away in this moment. For one, I didn't want my mom to have to see that I still had my loved one here to hold me up. I also couldn't handle Paige asking if I was ok, or seeing the look on her face when she realised how messed up I was. That look of complete love and care on her face would have been too much for me to handle. It had been about 20 minutes since my freak out at Paige and I continued to lay on my bed, refreshing the news every few minutes.

"You know my grandfather passed away when I was 12" Paige spoke as a matter of factly through the door. So she hadn't left. "He had this outrageous sense of humor. Well last spring my mom was cleaning out the basement and she found this old home video. My dad had bought her a camcorder for Christmas one year and everyone was passing it around and being silly.. and by the time it had got to my grandpa Allen, _he just mooned the camera_" Paige began laughing and I laughed along with her. "We're talking seventy year old man butt, full frame! And there was a tattoo." I continued laughing at the hilarity of the story. "It was a tulip"

"Oh my god Paige!" I choked out between my laughter.

"His laughter, it's like he's in the room when I watch that video. It's the best memory I have of him." She chuckled lightly as she finished her story, obviously lost in her memories.

Paige always knew exactly what I needed. She could have left when I yelled at her and I wouldn't have been upset. But instead she held her ground and gave me a laugh that I so desperately needed. I pulled myself up from the bed and unlocked the door. I pulled it open to see her sitting against the wall, smiling softly at me. She stood up quickly and I ushered her into my room before closing door and locking it again. It was my way of closing us off from the world. I eyed her overnight bag, raising my eyebrows at her in question.

"I'm not leaving unless you physically throw me out Emily." Paige explained. She was going to stay with me until I heard the news one way or another. We sat on the bed, facing each other and I smiled sadly at her. She furrowed her brow for a moment before reaching into a plastic bag and pulling out a couple of wrapped take out sandwiches and handed one to me.

"I'm not—"

"Hungry? I know. But I'll feel better if you eat. I got a little something for your mom too but she…didn't have much of an appetite either" Paige gently took the bag from my hands before unwrapping a grilled Panini and handing it to me. I took a bite and she seemingly relaxed.

We ate in silence and I realised what an appetite I had built up as a result of not eating in almost 24 hours. I thought about how upset my father would be at my mother and I neglecting to eat because of our worry for him. Tears silently fell down my cheeks and before I could register them Paige was wiping them away one by one with her thumbs. She didn't try and tell me it was going to be alright, nor did she ask me to stop. She just continued looking straight into my eyes while wiping away my falling tears.

"What if he doesn't come home?" I sobbed. I had never spoke my mind like this to anyone before. I wouldn't dare ask the question to my mom and my friends would only feel sorry for me. I didn't expect and answer from Paige but if anyone could find the words to help me, it would have been her.

Paige pulled me into a tight embrace, holding my head in her hand whilst still wiping my tears away with her other. She skootched us back on the bed so we were in a lying down, still wrapped tightly around each other.

"Then I'll be here for you every step of the way" Paige answered simply. "But we're not going to talk about 'what ifs' right now, hun. We're just going to wait here together until we find out more."

I sighed, "Waiting's the worst part. It's like drowning Paige. I'm underwater and I can see the surface but I just can't reach it. I can see where he is and what's happening over there but there's nothing I can do to protect him".

"I know Emily. I see it in your eyes how much you're hurting. I wish you weren't. I think you and you're mom are already giving him the best protection." I looked up at her questioningly.

Paige smiled sadly at me, "Let me explain. I might not know your dad but he must be brave. And if he's as loving and caring as you and your mom you two are probably the only thing on his mind right now. He'll pull through Emily. I know if I had you two to come home to I wouldn't give up."

Even through the darkness and worry in my mind I had to smile. in my darkest hours she could reach me, give me butterflies and make me feel ok. Even if that happiness at her words only lasted a second it was enough to make me fall even harder for her. Even if my dad was in complete danger and didn't make it, I firmly believed that Paige would pull me out of whatever state of mind I would go into. It was unimaginable at the moment but having Paige would mean that I would eventually be alright again.

I couldn't find the words, so I hoped Paige could see the emotion and love in my eyes. "Thank you" I choked out.

"Why don't you get some rest? I'll stay awake and refresh that page every 5 minutes if you want and if anything new happens, I'll wake you up. You need rest more than anything right now though Emily." She was right. I was completely beat, both physically and emotionally. I nodded lightly at her, feeling the exhaustion creeping through me. Paige always managed to bring me back to reality. My body was functioning normally again in her presence and for the first time in 24 hours, I felt human again.

She put her arms protectively around me, in a way that made me feel like a child again. I felt safe from all of the awful things happening in the world. "Tell me another story" I asked as I let my eyes shut.

Paige chuckled "I told you my best one already. Give me a minute to think of something."

"Anything is good." I whispered.

"hmmm. Alright. When I was little I had always wanted a pet. My parents have an aversion to any sort of animal in the house so it was out of the question. But of course me being a smart 6 year old I figured I could catch a wild animal and keep it _outside_ of the house. My brilliance started at a young age. Anyways, I didn't want a bird because it would easily fly away and living in the city makes it pretty hard to find a turtle or a frog. So I settled on trying to catch chipmunks"

"Chipmunks?" I asked skeptically.

"Hey! I was young and they were cute!" I could picture a cute little Paige running around her yard chasing chipmunks up trees.

"And how that plan work for you?" I asked

"It was trial and error. First I tried just staying really still and holding peanuts in my hand but I was to fidgety and didn't have the patience for that. I was six. Then came the idea to put peanuts in a box but that failed to. I'm stubborn though so I developed an elaborate, strategical plan to capture my pet"

"At the age of six?" I asked again.

"I told you my brilliance started at a young age. Here's what I did. I grabbed an old fishing pole from our garage. I took the hooks off the line and tied a peanut to the line instead. And it worked. I cast the line out in the front yard and the chipmunks would go for the peanut and I would reel it in and they would chase after it. They would get up real close to me."

I laughed lightly at Paige's creative plan "so you caught them then?"

"No. I could have easily caught a bunch of them but my game was too fun. I thought I was 'training' the chipmunks but everyone else saw it as hilarious. The whole neighborhood ended up in our front yard watching me and giving me praise for my set up. Being a kid I loved the attention I was getting. My parents thought I was ridiculous but even they were laughing at me. My mom even bought me a hedgehog after that."

"So that's how you got your first pet?" I asked.

"Yup. I told you… I was smart. I used my cuteness to my advantage and got what I wanted"

"You still do that" I joked. Of course, who could resist a cute six year old fishing for chipmunks? I would have gave Paige the stars and the moon.

"Yeah well my Hedgehog was pretty boss. I would always…." Paige continued talking about her first pet and I focused on the soft vibrations of her voice, drifting off into that much needed sleep. I slept dreamlessly for which I was thankful. Paige's arms around me kept me safe from the terrors inside my mind.

"Emily! Emily wake up!" I felt Paige nudging my shoulder and poking at me. I was disoriented momentarily as I took in my surrounding and remembered why Paige was here and what I was waiting for.

"Wh—what's going on?" I asked, dazed.

"You'll never guess who I'm on the phone with" I heard my mom's voice and I looked up to see her standing at the doorway, with a huge grin on her face.

"DAD?" I broke into a similar grin that my mom was wearing, scrambling to get out of bed and talk to him, and tell him that I loved him more than anything. I snatched the precious phone out of my mom's hands.

"Dad are you really there? I love you so much. Are you ok!?" I tried to control my voice. I wouldn't really believe he was safe until I heard him speak.

"Emmy yes I'm here. It's good to hear your voice again. I'm sorry it's been so long.. your mother told me you two saw the news" He spoke with relief and exhaustion. It must have been a stressful week for him but he sounded healthy.

"I'm so glad you're alright dad. Please tell me you're alright" began crying with joy that he was really alive.

"I'm perfectly fine aside from not having slept in 72 hours. I wanted to call you first before I rested though. I needed to hear your voices again, it helps me through this madness." It was like he was repeating what Paige had told me last night.

"What happened dad? Tell me everything you can" I pleaded. I needed to know just why he couldn't contact us and why _his _base had to be the one that was apparently a target.

"Emily. It was pretty tense for a while, an incident happened and there were threats of retaliation. Our base received threats of inbound missiles and there was some ground fighting. I wasn't involved in that so don't worry. We went into lockdown procedure in order to make sure everyone was doing the jobs they were assigned. It was nothing major, just people who weren't needed were to stay in their bunks and we kept high surveillance."

"So the threat is over? It was a lie?" I asked. I doubted he would be speaking to me if there was still a problem so I felt a little relieved.

"I can't say too much but I can tell you that we've had a break through. And…" My dads voice sounded a little more cheery.

"And what, dad?" I asked curiously.

"My rotation has been cut back. 2 more weeks here and then I'm going to Ramstein Airbase in Germany for a couple months. Then I'm coming home." _He's coming home_. And in two weeks he'll be out of danger. I couldn't ask for better news from my father.

"Dad that's amazing! You're coming home soon. I can't believe it" I looked and saw Paige smiling widely for me. I saw my mom's glowing face and realised she knew it too. We were going to be complete again.

"Soon, baby. I'll be home in January and I think with some convincing, you guys can come and visit for Christmas."

"That sounds perfect dad. I can't wait to see you again, I miss you so much" I was looking forward to December more than anything now.

"I miss you too. And I love you but I need to go soon, the phones are pretty busy right now and the other soldiers need their turn to or I'm going to hear it. Can you put your mom back on the phone?"

"Love you to dad, promise you'll call again when you're rested so we can talk some more _please" _

_"_I promise, bye Emmy" I gave the phone back to my mom and she left my room, I overheard her making potential plans to visit during Christmas.

Paige stood in front of me giving me a happy smile. I ran into her arms and she hugged me back tightly. There wasn't any need for words. She was happy everything was ok and I was thanking her for being there for me last night.

Paige broke the silence, speaking softly, "I should go soon, let you be with your mother" She began to pull away but I held her by the waist at arm's length.

"No. You're staying here. You didn't just help me through last night only to leave when I'm whole again"

Paige looked at me curiously and then smiled. "Well alright then, let's go make some breakfast then. Does your mom like French Toast?"

I laughed, "Who doesn't like French Toast?"

We went downstairs and began cooking an abundant amount of French Toast while singing along with the radio and I was dancing like an idiot through the kitchen. Paige was laughing at my ridiculous behavior but I was so filled with joy after being so depressed I couldn't contain myself.

My mom came in and joined us for breakfast, thanking us for making so much good food.

"It's settled, Emily. We're going to Germany for the holidays. You're dad really didn't have to work to heard to convince me on that one" My mom looked more relieved than me. I was a mess when my dad was in situations like this but my mom was completely gone. I was still wondering how Paige had exactly gotten passed her yesterday afternoon.

"Paige" My mom took Paige's hand and looked at her earnestly for a moment. "I'm sorry for the things I said—"

"No, no." Paige interrupted. She placed her other hand over my moms. "You don't need to say anything. I know you didn't mean to say it"

My mom smiled at her, "Thanks for understanding, Paige. What I said, well it wasn't true. Even if you think it is, it's not" _oh god. _What exactly had my mom said to her?

"It's okay, Pam. Really I don't need an explanation considering the circumstances" Paige smiled reassuringly at her and my mom breathed a sigh of relief.

I had to know exactly what happened. "Mom what did you say to her?"

"It was nothing, Em. It's not important now" Paige looked at me and I could tell she wanted me to drop it. I looked away from her before she convinced me to let it go.

"Mom?" I asked expectantly.

"I don't want to have to repeat it, Emily." My mom looked embarrassed.

I looked to Paige, hoping she would tell me. "Hey, don't get me into this, I'm not saying anything" Paige raised her hands in defense.

My mom sighed and looked at me sadly. "I told her that her problems didn't matter" she looked down in embarrassment. My mom woulnd't be acting this way if that's all she said.

"What were the exact words mom?" I asked, annoyed.

"I said our problem was bigger than a bully or a father who didn't—" my mom sighed "love his child"

I couldn't believe my mom could be so cold. I knew she hadn't meant it but Paige had actually believed that. For someone to say it out loud to her.. and for that person to be my own mother. She was lucky she _was _my mother at the moment.

"Emily I can see the wheels turning in your head would you please just let this one go?" Paige looked at me frantically. "For me?"

My mom looked at me, still clearly embarrassed. "You can yell at me later and I already feel terrible but for now can we _please _just have a nice family breakfast?" My mom was right. I would be completely pissed with her later but I could put it behind me for now and enjoy the day knowing that my father was alive and well.

We spent the rest of the morning and afternoon, just the three of us chit chatting and enjoying the mutual good mood. We went out for dinner at the Applerose Grill and I told my mom to pick me up at Paige's, I wanted a moment alone with her so I decided to walk home with her.

We walked down the quiet Sunday evening streets hand in hand, neither of us in a hurry to get to Paige's and say goodbye for the night. "What you did for me last night, Paige, I couldn't ask for more from you."

"You've done the same thing for me, Em. It was the least I could do."

"There has to be something I can do for you as a thank you. Anything Paige." I wanted to do something to show her how much I appreciated her company last night.

Paige looked at me and laughed. "You're going to regret saying that. All I want from you is to not give your mom any grief about what she said to me. I'm not upset by it, and she didn't mean to say it so its over" Of course Paige would ask for something completely selfless. I should have known better and just bought her concert tickets as a thank you or something.

"Fine. But can we talk about that for a minute?" I wanted to explain to her that it wasn't true.

"If we _have _to" Paige groaned.

We arrived at The Brew so I stopped and laced both of our hands together, forcing her to look at me. "What pisses me off about what she said is that you think that's true. That you have a reason to think that it's true. I don't know your father but I think that anybody who gets to know you can't help but love you so it _can't _be true. You're impossible not to love" Paige leaned in and kissed me deeply. She didn't say I was right, and I wouldn't forget that but as long as she heard what I said I could let it go for now.

Paige pulled away, leaning in and giving me a quick chaste kiss. "Emily Fields, you're a really good kisser" I burst out laughing and swatted her in the side.

"You're such a romantic" I half joked. "But thank you, it helps that you're so kissable."

"Yeah I get that a lot" Paige joked.

"You're not as funny as you think you are. But ill pretend to laugh because I love you" In truth she was hilarious but I wasn't giving her the satisfaction of telling her that.

Paige stuck her tongue out at me like a 5 year old. I laughed at her childish remark, "And you call me sassy, look at yourself."

"What can I say you're rubbing off on me. But I'm completely ok with that. Here comes your mom" Paige pointed at my mom waving through the car window. I didn't want to leave Paige but asking to spend the night to 'thank' Paige for last night wouldn't have gone over well with my mom.

"Goodnight Paige, thanks again for last night. It really means the world that you're here for me" I leaned in and wrapped my arms around her waist, pulling her firmly against me.

"Love you, Em. Can't wait to meet your dad in a couple of months" I smiled at the reminder of my father's soon return to Rosewood. I gave Paige a quick kiss before watching her turn down the alley to get to her apartment.

Paige would be meeting my dad soon. They were alike in so many ways it made me and my mom laugh. I was pretty sure that's why my mom liked Paige so much, she reminded us of my dad in so many ways. I guess it's sort of true that daughter's fall in love with their fathers. I laughed at how weird that situation sounded; especially considering my love was a girl. I was sure my dad would get a kick out of that realization.

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**A/N- Sorry for the jumping around in this one. I needed some time to pass but also some character building so I hoped you liked Paige's little stories, I couldn't resist adding the tulip tattoo part its just too funny! **

**I also mentioned Paige being a PINK fan (seriously who isn't?) because in the show the way she dresses reminds me of PINK and the karaoke song I just kinda put that together! Lyrical mention was from PINK's new album The Truth About Love and the song was 'True Love'. It has no meaning to the Paily relationship I just think it's an awesome song **


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N- Hello! Short and sweet update today. (well shorter than I've been updating lately) **

**Enjoy and as usual thanks to everyone who's been following this and reviewing! **

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**Emily's POV- **

"I really don't get why you're being so secretive about your dress, Paige. It's not like it's our wedding or something" I complained as we were walking to our cars after school. It was Thursday, the dance was tonight and the school was buzzing with excitement. It was about time the day arrived, I couldn't wait to see Paige in a dress that would no doubt hug her in all the right places. I was having trouble containing myself just thinking about it. She hadn't given me a clue about it and all I could get from Kelly was that it was 'tight and sexy'.

Paige rolled her eyes at me, "Do you really think I care? Kelly made me promise not to tell on the count of 'the dress deserves a dramatic entrance' She even made Hanna promise to drive you tonight just so we could meet on the dance floor. I swear they are planning to write our relationship into one of those sappy love stories or something." Paige ranted. I laughed at her obvious annoyance about the whole ordeal.

"Ugh! so I guess this is goodbye until tonight then?" I complained as we reached our cars. Paige opened my door for me and stood there for a moment.

"Until tonight, Em. PS, Hanna isn't driving you home" Paige winked at me and casually sauntered off, leaving me to contemplate what she meant. The realisation hit me that I was going home with Paige tonight. I felt my body grow considerably warmer at the thought that I would be spending tonight with Paige, _the entire night_.

I felt my phone vibrate and checked to see it was Hanna.

**I'm stopping at Paige's to help with her hair and makeup first and I'll meet you and the girls at spencers. Kelly sent me a picture of the dress and ur gonna wanna tear it off her I can promise you that- Hanna**

I let out a soft moan, letting my imagination run wild at the thought. I remembered I was still sitting in the school parking lot, which was now nearly empty and laughed myself. I could be such a hormonal teenager sometimes.

Hanna finally arrived at Spencer's. She flew into Spencer's room and got dressed faster than I had thought possible. "Sorry! Blame your girlfriend, Em. I didn't account for having to teach her how to walk in high heels" Hanna huffed. "Someone do my hair please! I'm going to do my makeup. Oh and you all look really hot." Aria began curling Hanna's hair while she did her makeup to perfection.

I looked at myself in the mirror. My hair was left in its usual simple waves with the front pinned back to show my face clearly. Aria did a spectacular job on my makeup, bringing out my eyes in a way I could never have done on my own. My dress was a teal color that Hanna insisted was perfect for my skin tone. It was slim fitting, stopping just above the knees with a slit on the side that went up to my thigh. I wore simple black pumps with it, showing off my legs. I did that for Paige because I knew it was a little obsession of hers.

"God, Em. You and Paige are going it be the hottest couple there tonight" Hanna teased. "Well, you're going to give me and Caleb a run for our money anyways"

"What about Spencer and Toooooobbby" Aria teased. Spencer blushed and nudged Aria in the shoulder.

"Watch it shorty, I might have to let Holden know you're just using him as a cover" Spencer threatened.

Aria glared at her, "Hey! He's not just a cover, he's my friend and me and Ezra are over. If something more were to happen with Holden and I… well it wouldn't be the end of the world. I could use a rebound after all the drama with Ezra" Aria sighed.

"Drama?" I asked. "I thought Mr. Fitz was an English teacher?" Spencer and Hanna burst out laughing.

"Wow, being around Paige has actually made you sort of funny, Em" Aria shot back.

"Ha. Ha." I mumbled.

Hanna looked at me and smiled, "You know what really_ isn't_ funny, Paige told me I didn't need to give you a ride home tonight. Now, I'm all aboard the Emily getting laid train but why did I have to hear that you weren't spending the night with us from _Paige_?"

"ooooooooooooo" Aria and Spencer cheered simultaneously.

I blushed and glared at Hanna, "Thanks. But I actually had no idea until this afternoon" the girls looked at me teasingly. "Oh my god! That doesn't mean anything is going to happen, we've spent the night together before!" I defended. Why was tonight such a big deal? Even I was nervous for what it meant but why?

Hanna cocked her eyebrow, "Just wait till you see her, Em. You won't be able to resist, I almost couldn't" Hanna joked.

"Really, Hanna? Really?" I groaned. Sometimes she was too open. Not that I was jealous because Hanna was about as straight as they come but I was a little upset that Hanna had already seen how beautiful Paige would be tonight. I wanted to be the only one who could have her and waiting was putting me in a cranky mood.

"Wow Hanna? Got something you wanna share?" Spencer joked. "But seriously, Emily, why _should_ you resist? You love her right? And the sexual tension between you two is so heavy the entire school can see it," Spencer reasoned. She had a point. I felt ready and I was pretty sure Paige was feeling the same way. I did love her and I trusted her enough but I was still nervous about the whole experience.

"Of course I love her!" I exclaimed. "I just… I don't know how to.. approach the idea. Last time I practically threw myself at her and made a fool of myself. My self esteem can't take rejection from her a second time."

"Emily Fields! She 'rejected' you last time because she didn't want to take advantage of you. Because you were drunk and _you_ would have regretted it." Aria scolded.

Hanna decided it was her turn to add "She loves you, you love her. She thinks you're hot, you practically drool over her every second of the day. Just do it already, if not for yourselves, for us!"

Now there was a thought I didn't want. "Ew Hanna" Spencer groaned.

"Look I'm not going to make a big deal out of it, can we just drop it for now and talk about Spencer and Toby or something?" I pleaded.

Spencer groaned and Hanna took that as an opportunity to begin teasing her, "Spencer and Toby sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S…"

We arrived at the school shortly after 7. It was all I could do not to sprint into the gym and find Paige. I just really wanted to see all of the hype Hanna had built up about her appearance. Everyone else had their dates and I was still searching for mine. We finally made it through the crowd into the gym and I looked hard for a beautiful auburn haired girl. I didn't even bother taking in the décor around the gym, my eyes were only searching for Paige and coming up empty.

"Looking for someone?" I heard a soft voice whisper low in my ear. I felt the warmth of Paige's breath against my neck. "You are so inhumanly beautiful, Emily. Seriously what planet are you from?" I whirled around to see her, pushing her back slightly so I could take her all in.

My breathing hitched as I looked at my girlfriend. Hanna had been spot on about how gorgeous she was tonight. Her hair was curled to the side with her long bangs tied back loosely. It looked so good with her hair color and framed her face to show off that beautiful bone structure of her jaws and cheeks. Her makeup was done simply, just enough to accent those beautiful chocolate eyes that I wanted to get lost in. And her dress. Her body was flawless. Better than flawless, it was perfection. She was wearing a tight black dress that reached just passed mid-thigh. It was simple, but so sexy. The straps were thin and her muscular, feminine back was completely exposed, sending shivers down my spine. I looked to her chest and noticed just the right amount of cleavage peaking from her dress. It was tasteful, and left lots of room for the imagination, but had me staring, begging silently to see more.

"Eyes up here, babe" Paige teased, but I saw she looked just as mesmerised as I did, taking in my dress. She looked at my legs appreciatively, subtly licking her lips, forcing me to suppress a moan. Spencer was right, there was no point in resisting Paige. She could have me any way she wanted, as long as I could have her. Tonight. Right now if I wasn't looking forward to dancing with her for a couple of hours.

"Wow. Just wow. Don't leave my side tonight because I'm afraid someone might steal you away from me, you in that dress" I teased. I pulled her back to me and laced our fingers together. I leaned in and gave her a sweet, lingering kiss.

"I'm all yours tonight" Paige whispered seductively in my ear. I let out a soft whimper at the implications and suddenly, this dance couldn't be over quick enough. Just a couple of hours of this, then we could be with just each other.

"Sha—shall we go dance?" I stuttered out. Speaking coherently was going to be a challenge tonight.

"Only if you ask real nicely" Paige whined. I decided that she wouldn't get to be the only one that teased tonight.

I leaned in slowly, grazing my hands over her bare back and pressing my lips to her ear, "Please dance with me" I whispered sweetly. I heard her gulp and I chuckled softly in her ear.

"Let's go," Paige half moaned. Yep, tonight was going to be amazing.

We found Aria, Holden, Spencer, Toby, Hanna and Caleb out on the dance floor. Toby and Caleb looked more lost at how to move than Paige did. She really wasn't as bad as she told me she was, although the heels presented quite a challenge to her. I almost suggested that she take them off so she didn't sprain an ankle but I didn't want to damage her pride.

We danced in the group for a while and Paige was finally looking comfortable. She subtly would grind against me from behind at points, and her fingers graced over my ass a few more times than would have been considered an accident. I couldn't resist anymore so I pulled her close to me and wrapped my arms around her, moving with her to the beat of the song. Sure, half the guys were probably staring at us, but that was part of the reason I did it. Paige McCullers was my girlfriend so I could take advantage of her hot body anytime I wanted. Besides, we weren't the sluttiest dancers by any means, this was a high school dance after all. And we were next to Hanna.

I trailed my fingers up and down her bare spine, teasing my way close to her lower back, only to slowly crawl them back up again. While my fingers did their thing I was practically straddling her thigh, moving on her to the beat of the music. Paige had a tight grip on my hip with one hand, the other feeling sensually up and down my thigh via the slit in my dress. I was just about to let out a moan when the song ended, a slow on taking its place. I dismantled myself from Paige only to have her pull me back, wrapping her arms around my waist and pulling me close. I looked at her and smiled, she looked so happy right now. I wrapped my arms around her, nuzzling my face into her shoulder and breathing in her scent. I gently kissed her collarbone as we began to dance slowly to the music.

_The strands in your eyes that color me wonderful stop me and steal my breath…_

My heart ached in my chest at how much this moment meant to me. This could be something that I would remember for a long time. I wondered if Paige ever felt this way, like if we could pause these moments and could go back to them and just remember why we were so perfect for each other. I got lost in Paige arms as we moved together.

I felt her hot breath at my ear, "Tell me, that we belong together" she whispered along with the song. I didn't think that anyone could be happier than me right now. This moment was perfect. I listened to the lyrics and began tearing up. What did I do to deserve Paige McCullers? I had no words to express how much I loved this, so instead I held my arms tighter around her, letting the moment be. The song was ending so I pulled back and kissed her softly. It was a tender, sweet moment and I realised that I had enough of this dance already.

"Do you wanna get out of here?" I whispered.

Paige looked at me with deep emotion. I nodded slightly and she smiled, "More than anything" She took my hand and began leading me out of the gym. We drove to the apartment in silence. I began fidgeting nervously at the thought of what was to come. Of course I couldn't wait and tearing that dress off Paige would be the easiest thing to do since I had already done it in my head a million times tonight.

"I thought I'd be the one begging you to leave tonight" Paige remarked, breaking the nervous silence as she drove.

I groaned at her "Well what do you expect from me when you wear a dress like that and dance with me like _that_. Seriously Paige I only have so much self control" I complained.

"Dance like that? So I'm a good dancer then?" Paige beamed.

I rolled my eyes. "First of all, you're better than you think. Second of all, I _meant_ that whole whispering the song in my ear while holding me close. You better patent that move Paige, its fool proof." I rambled.

Paige looked at me seriously for a moment before turning her eyes back to the road, "I still can't believe we're together. I don't know how to describe it it's just, sometimes I'm amazing you're still with me" She mumbled quietly.

I thought back to how I felt while she was dancing with me, "Sometimes I'm amazed you're with me" I reached over and took her hand.

After what had felt like the longest car ride, we made it into Paige's apartment. "Do you want something to eat or drink?" Paige asked, clearly nervous, not trying to make assumptions as to why we were here I guessed.

I walked up to her, forcing my nerves away and putting on a brave face. _I wanted this, no I needed this. I needed to show Paige how much I loved her, show her what she did to me_. "Just kiss me, Pai—" and her mouth was on mine, kissing me hungrily, not wasting anytime running her tongue along with mine sensually. Our tongues danced together in a way that was passionate, yet tender and sweet at the same time. I gripped her bare shoulders as Paige ran her hands along my stomach and waist. I was aware of every sensation of Paige. This passion was different than anything I'd experienced before, the anticipation that more was to come. Knowing that this was leading to something new had me hyperaware of every part of Paige's body, moving hungrily with my own. I began toying with the zipper at the back of Paige's dress, grazing my fingers from her lower back over the clasp.

Paige pulled away from my lips, taking my hand and leading me to the bedroom. We wasted no time in connecting our bodies again, this time I was a little more brave, undoing the clasp of her dress. I was distracted when Paige began kissing along my jaw down to my neck, nipping and sucking gently. She kissed her way up to my ear and bit lightly on my lobe, "I love you-" She kissed bellow my ear, "So much, Em" I moaned at the sound and feel of her low voice whispering directly in my ear. She continued peppering my neck, shoulders and collar bone with kisses and soft bites. I remembered my task of getting her out of the sexy black dress and continued toying with the zipper, undoing slowly and teasingly. The thought that I was undressing Paige sent a familiar warmth through my center. Paige let out a soft whimper and the warmth spread even further. I made it a personal goal to make Paige sound like that more often.

I finished undoing the zipper and I pulled at her dress wantingly, trying to show her I wanted it off and I wanted it off now. Paige looked at me, eyes full of nervousness as she pulled down the thin straps, causing the dress to taper off from her chest. She wasn't wearing a bra so her full, naked breasts were exposed to me. I stared open mouthed at the beautiful site before my eyes, causing Paige to shift nervously away from me.

"Don't you dare" I murmured as she went to cover up. I pulled her back to me and guided us to the bed. She fell back and I crawled on top of her, straddling her still covered thighs. I leaned down and kissed her desperately again, reaching my hands to her chest to touch her nude breasts for the first time. They fit my hands perfectly, I noted. "You're so beautiful" I squeezed and caressed her firm breasts in my hands, running my thumb over her nipple causing a breathy moan to escape her lips.

As if waking up from a dream, I suddenly realised where I was and what I was doing. This was actually happening, and the nerves that we momentarily gone resurfaced. I kissed Paige hard again, trying to suppress the trembling in my lips. I was at a loss for what to do, what if I did something wrong? As if she sensed it, she suddenly flipped us over, taking control.

**Paige's POV-**

I sensed Emily's nerves again so I flipped us over so I was straddling her, trying to ease her worries and show her I wanted this too. She was trembling underneath me as I went to unzip her dress at the side. I paused, taking a deep breath before looking at her. She looked almost terrified and seeing her eyes full of fear scared me.

"You alright, Em?" I asked, concerned.

Emily looked at me and smiled lightly, "I'm better than alright Paige. I'm just… I don't really know…. I'm just really nervous." She stuttered out.

I brushed her dark curls away from her face, cupping her cheek and looking deep into her eyes, "I am too. If you're not ready just say so, _please_. I want this to be right for both of us, and you look so scared" I whispered the last part. If she wasn't ready I wouldn't do this, as much torture as it would be to stop at this point. I thought I was going to lose it just when she was touching my breasts.

Emily looked at me with burning eyes, "I'm ready, Paige. God, why can't you see it?" She sighed. "I want you, I just don't know how to… this is all so new and I'm afraid I won't be good enough" She whispered. That was why she looked so scared? She was afraid she wouldn't be good enough?

"Oh Emily, basically looking at you tonight nearly has me undone. I'm pretty sure you can do anything and I will be satisfied. And this is new to me too, maybe not in exactly the same way but this is a first for me as well, and I'm glad it's going to be with you" Emily's lips were on mine as her hand took my wrist and pushed it towards the zipper of her dress. She _wanted _me to undress her. I wasted no time with the zipper before pulling the dress completely off of the girl underneath me. She was in a creamy lace bra and a matching thong but I didn't waste much time looking at the underwear. I trailed my eyes along the expanse of her gorgeous body, taking in everything that was presented to me. I trailed my hand along her toned stomach, hearing her breathing hitch at my touch. My hand rested on her hip bone, my thumb doing lazy circles there. I stared her up and down trailing from her long legs up to her eyes again. She pulled me back on top of her, pressing my body firmly to hers as she kissed me hungrily again. Her hands began fondling my breasts again and she took my left nipple and began rolling her thumb over it. I moaned into her mouth at the feeling. I continued running my hands along her smooth, tan stomach, and I couldn't stand for her to be covered any longer so I pulled her back slightly, and with a little effort from the both of us I unclasped her bra. I pushed her back down on the bed, taking in the sight of her perfect body. I kissed down her neck and her collarbone, reaching her breasts and placing kisses all around them. I left a few satisfactory red marks before taking her nipple into my mouth and rolling my tongue along it whilst playing with her other boob in my hand.

"Oh my god Paige!" Emily moaned as she arched her back, pushing harder against my mouth. Hearing her moan my name was unlike anything I had experienced before. I continued sucking and nipping her breasts, going back and forth between them and thoroughly enjoying myself. I felt Emily tugging at the rest of my dress, trying to relieve me of it so I grudgingly pulled away and helped her undress me completely.

We simply stared at one another for a moment before I caught Emily's eyes and grinned at her. I took her hand and put it over my heart. "See. This is what you do to me, Em." I was silent for a moment to let her feel the quick beating of my heart. "This is all you" I leaned back over her, kissing down her stomach, taking my sweet time savoring the flavor of her soft skin. I began toying with the edge of her panties whist my other hand was softly caressing her inner thigh.

"Paige.." Emily whimpered. I ran my hand over her center, letting out a soft gasp of my own at how wet the material of her underwear was. I slowly pulled her panties down, exposing her to me completely. I placed my hand over her pubic bone, trailing slowly, memorising the smooth skin. _God she was so perfect_. I slowly ran my hands over her folds, looking up at Emily's face, her eyes were closed and she had her head thrown back. I continued slowly exploring this new part of Emily with my hands, while kissing my way back up her body so I could meet her eyes.

"look at me, Em" I whispered. She complied and I gently pushed my finger inside of her.

"Fuck!" _Swear words always sounded so hot coming out of her mouth. _ She let out a sigh and arched into me. Her hands gripped my shoulder blades roughly, clawing at my skin while she tried to get a grip. I kept a soft and gentle pace and before long Emily began moving with my finger, letting out soft moans and grunts. I put another finger in and began picking up the pace. Emily's eyes were full of pleasure and lust as she pulled me in for a hot, open mouthed kiss. She gripped my waist, pulling me down on top of her so my weight was going into the thrusts of my fingers. I pushed my thumb up, finding her clit and teasing the area around it. I was careful not to touch it just yet, wanting the moment to last as long as possible.

"mmmm..Paige" Emily moaned loudly. "Please" I ran my thumb over her bundle of nerves, doing soft large circles before moving faster. Emily was moving gloriously along with me, needing the pleasure. I pushed harder and thrust faster as she came around my fingers. She whimpered and moaned my name along with a few curse words and I committed the sounds to memory. I eased her down from her orgasm, feeling her juices dripping down my fingers as I pulled away from her sensitive area. We laid there for a moment, both trying to catch our breaths.

"mmm Paige you're amazing" Emily flipped me over, placing a soft kiss to my lips. As she straddled my thighs I brought my soaked hand up to my lips and curiously and hungrily licked Emily's sweet taste from them slowly. Emily let out a moan at watching what I was doing. She pushed my hand away from my mouth and replaced it by kissing me roughly. Her sucked my bottom lip into her mouth and nipped tenderly before gliding her tongue into my mouth. Suddenly her lips were trailing down my body, licking along my sides and over my stomach. My muscled contracted under her mouth and I let out a moan at the sensation of her tongue on my skin. She looked up at me and smiled devilishly before palming my center, rubbing at my folds through the fabric of my panties. I felt pressure building up in the pit of my stomach, and it was everything I could do not to scream. Emily discarded my panties at some point and I felt her long, slender fingers teasing along my inner thigh, unbearably close to where I needed them.

"mmm, don't be a tease, Em" I whined. Emily chuckled and surprised me by thrusting a finger inside me. I let out a loud whimper of surprise and pleasure as she began working her finger in and out of me. She added another and began thrusting at a steady pace. She moved her body so she was straddling my left thigh and I could feel her wetness pooling once again on my leg. As she was working my core, she began grinding herself on my leg in the hottest way I had ever experienced. Without a doubt having Emily pleasure me with her quickening fingers and watching her body as she moved against my leg, this was easily the best night of my life. Her thumb found my clit and began circling hard and fast over it. I felt like I was going to explode in pleasure and that's exactly what I did.

"Let go for me, Paige" Emily whispered sensually.

"mmmmm..Emily" I let out a loud moan mixed with her name. Pleasure coursed through my veins as I contracted on Emily's fingers. She continued working me, letting me ride out my orgasm while she began one of her own. I felt the moisture from her pool abundantly against my thigh and watched through the waves of my own orgasm, Emily experience her own. She collapsed on top of me, and we both panted and tried desperately to catch our breath for a second time tonight. We stayed like that for a long time before I felt Emily begin to shiver so I pulled a blanket over top of us and moved Emily to my side, wrapping my arms around her and running my fingers softly along her body.

"Wow" I whispered, breaking the silence in the room.

Emily looked up at me with nothing but love and spoke softly, "That was simply the most amazing thing I've ever experienced Paige." I was beaming at the thought that Emily felt the same way about tonight that I did. "I love you"

I buried my face in Emily's hair before shutting my eyes, letting the exhaustion take me, "Best night of my life" I replied. "Love you too, Em. I can't even tell you how much I love you" I mumbled.

Emily let out a laugh and I felt the vibration through my entire body, "I think you just showed me, babe" she answered. I laughed at her reply. I pressed another soft kiss into her hair still complete bliss, having Emily wrapped tightly in my arms. After tonight I was pretty certain nothing would ever come between us and I was finally seeing that we both believed we were perfect for each other. I wondered idly where I would be if it were not for her.

"Em…?" I whispered sleepily. I was almost sure I was dreaming.

"What is it, babe?"

"Do me a favour… Don't ever break my heart" I whispered, before drifting off into a blissfully happy slumber.

"I wouldn't dream of it, Paige" were the last words I heard before finally slipping under.

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**A/N- Hope you liked this one. Lyric mention was from the beautiful song I'll Be by Edwin McCain **

**-I also 'borrowed' that last line of Paige's from the finale of Ten Things I Hate About you if you recognized it. It just fit really well for Paige **


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N- Thank you all very much for the positive feedback on the last chapter! I was very nervous about it but I'm glad that it worked out! I'm a little nervous about this chapter but it's just a basic setup for the next one which will be longer like earlier chapters. Suggestions will be included in later chapters but I have read them and I'm working them in! Thanks for reading and reviewing, sorry this chapter is not my best work but I'm very busy and I wanted to at least update once this week so here you go!**

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**Emily's POV-**

_Paige. _She was all I was thinking about when I went to sleep last night, and now, my first thought in the morning. I let the night reply for me again as I began the process of waking up. Paige in that dress. Paige's strong arms and gentle touch. Paige's lips moving against my own. The way Paige loved me. All of her moans, whimpers and smiles last night. I became aware of where I was; in Paige's bed with my arms wrapped around the girl I loved, my front pressed into her back. I smiled and felt my lips graze her shoulder blade. _Oh right, we were both still naked. _My smile grew even wider at the thought. I let my eyes flutter open so I could admit that last night in fact was not a dream. Paige was still snoozing, I could feel her soft breathing through my body. I lightly smoothed my hand along her abs, feeling the strong, lean muscles underneath my touch. I traveled up and down her side slowly, just trying to memorise the feel of Paige's skin. I felt Paige's ass push further into my center as she moved in her sleep and I almost couldn't contain a moan. I was certainly ready for round two of last night but I was enjoying myself just watching Paige sleep so I kept my hormones under control. Paige softly rolled over, and I saw her face for the first time since last night. Even in her sleep, she had a beautiful, glowing smile that made me smile knowing she was happily dreaming. She looked so peaceful, almost childlike in her slumber and I thought to myself that I would definitely be able to get used to waking up next to her. I placed a kiss to her temple and watched as her eyelids began to flutter open, confused and dazed.

"Morning" Paige murmured, squinting her eyes and taking me in. As if she suddenly realised where she was her eyes widened and her smile grew. "I mean good, great, fantastic, perfect morning" she added before leaning in and giving me a sweet kiss. "How long have you been up?"

"Just a few minutes give or take." I answered. "I was watching you sleep. You're very cute Paige." I said as a matter-of-factly.

Paige looked stunned and almost embarrassed at my statement. "Was I 'cute' last night?" she asked suggestively. She reached her hands over and placed them lightly on my stomach, making me ache for her touch.

I tried to remain coherent enough to answer her. "n.. no. Last night you were…. _Amazing. _And sexy. And bold. And so sweet and loving." I leaned in to kiss her passionately. She ran her tongue along my bottom lip seductively, and I decided that now was indeed the time for round two. There was this raw need I had for Paige right now, and if it I woke up to Paige like this every day, I would in fact be a morning sex kind of person.

In the heat and passion of our deep kiss I rolled myself over so I was on top of Paige. I kissed her roughly before moving to her collar bone and kissing and biting up and down her clavicle, leaving tiny fading red marks in my path. Paige's hands were now on my ass, squeezing and caressing gently, yet with an urgency that left us both pushing harder. Her hands came to my front and she began feeling along my hip bone and my pelvis, getting ever so close to where I needed her but not pushing me just yet. I moved my lips to her pulse point and began sucking roughly, causing her to let out a guttural moan. That pushed me harder and I moved up to gently nibble on her earlobe.

"Fuck me," I begged and Paige let out the most adorable whimper I had ever heard before abiding my request and shoving her fingers roughly inside of me. I let out a scream of pleasure at Paige's unexpected move. She was gentle, yet passionate enough to keep the blood boiling beneath my skin. She continued pumping her fingers in and out of me while kissing my neck, my lips, my breasts. We had been together all of one time and it was like she already knew my body better than I did. I was on the edge because of Paige, yet again and she noticed and began rubbing my clit with her thumb. It didn't take much time before I was moaning and calling her name through the waves of my orgasm. Paige slowed her thrusts and pulled out of me, watching me as I was panting and trying to regain my composure.

She smiled satisfactorily at me before placing a sweet kiss to my nose, "I should have figured you would be a screamer" She teased.

I groaned and flushed red in embarrassment. I gave a good shove to her shoulder, "you're awful!" I whined.

Paige laughed, "That's not what you were saying two minutes ago babe." She made a good point. "And besides, I wasn't only trying to tease you. _I kind of like it_." She whispered seductively.

That whisper was all I needed to get my energy back. I used my position on top of her, gently rolling my hips against her as I began kissing her down her jaw to her neck. My hands were running along her abs and her hips, feeling the soft skin that I couldn't get enough of. I continued kissing down her body until I reached her breasts, taking her left nipple into my mouth I began rolling with my tongue, causing another beautiful whimper from Paige. Her fingers found her way into my hair, holding me tightly to her body. I enjoyed her boobs. They were so soft and that perfect size; just a little more than a handful, and shaped beautifully. My girlfriend was perfect. I continued enjoying myself for a little longer before I decided it was time to go further so I began kissing down her body yet again. I licked and nipped at her abs that I adored so much. Seriously, I could spend all day staring at her flat stomach and it would be enjoyable. Paige was beginning to wriggle beneath me, and I could tell she was getting frustrated at my slow pace.

My fingers began sliding up and down her thighs so I brought them up a little further and slid them slowly through her folds. I kissed along her hip bone and skipped past her center, causing another frustrated moan from Paige. I kissed her inner thighs, reveling in the soft skin and the sweet taste. My fingers were still teasing along her centre, skipping across her clit, increasingly frustrating Paige.

"mmm…You're not being fair" Paige whined. "Is this for the scream comment? Because I'm very…very sorry about that" This was Paige's way of saying 'stop teasing me already'.

I whispered softly against her thigh, knowing that the feeling of my hot breath against her skin would torture her just a little bit more, "I'm about to be very fair to you Paige" With that, I let my fingers rub at her clit and I kissed my way back up her thighs, finding her centre and ran my tongue along her folds. Paige arched into me, letting out a loud moan. I wrapped my one arm around her thigh, holding her back to me so I could continue tasting her. I teased my tongue inside of her, while still rolling my fingers, playing with her clit. Paige was already extremely close (I could tell by her moans and her rushed movements) so I moved my fingers inside of her and began to suck and roll my tongue along her clit.

"Oh…God..—Em!" She let out a grabbled whimper. She contracted around my fingers and I could feel her juices running down my fingers so I began licking them up, enjoying her sweet flavor as she came down from her orgasm. I kissed my way back up her body, and began passionately kissing her, forcing her to taste herself with my lips against hers. The sensation of my body pressed firmly against hers was almost enough to get me going again but I remained content to continue kissing her. The kiss died down so I rolled to her side as she cuddled against me. I ran my hands though down her naked body, and gently caressed her stomach once again.

We just stared stupidly at each other, each with our own trademark grin. The sex was amazing obviously. I really couldn't say for sure because Paige was my one and only but I had this feeling that Paige just knew what she was doing, I didn't think she would compare to anyone else. If the sex wasn't already good enough the after sex cuddling was something else. Just caressing each other and looking into Paige's deep eyes after watching her come undone beneath me was enough to keep me happy for the day.

"That was so hot" Paige whispered. "I wasn't expect you to… it was so amazing" she chuckled at her lack of words.

"You have no idea" I whispered back. "I love you Paige, wow I love you"

"Yeah you're not too bad yourself, Fields" Paige responded. "how did I even end up with you?" she questioned.

She questioned us being together too much. It was flattering, but it was also a bit sad because she made it seem as though she didn't think she deserved me, when in reality, it was the opposite. "As I recall, it took a good knock to the head for you to get the courage to ask me out on a date" I joked.

Paige laughed at my recollection of the story, "Actually, I'm pretty sure it took you witnessing me almost drown. Remember, _you _were the one begging to stay with _me _that night?"

"Oh I knew I liked you long before that, babe. And I still am plotting my revenge against Chelsea for that" I murmured. It actually angered me even more that Chelsea was out to get Paige in the beginning. Anytime I would her or Megan walking in the halls I would pull Paige just little closer to me. If they so much as looked at her the wrong way it would be enough for me to snap.

"You're adorable when you're all cute and angry" Paige teased.

"You know, you said you have a bit of a temper but I've only seen you angry once. When I told Coach Fulton…" I trailed of and immediately felt guilty for bringing it up. I ducked my head to wouldn't have to look into her sad eyes. Paige cupped my face and tilted my chin up to I was looking back into her eyes.

"Hey, I'm not angry anymore, because that brought us closer together. But Emily I do get angry, well I did. I just don't want you to see that side of me. When I'm mad I say and do stuff that I have no control over. So I walk away." Paige looked at me seriously, "But I don't have a lot of reasons to be angry anymore." Paige smiled at me and I grinned back at her.

"Good. I don't want you to be angry. I just want you to know there's nothing you could say in the moment that would push me away. Like with what my mom said to you. That would have scared most people away for good but you stood by anyways. I would have done the exact same thing and I _will _do the exact same thing should I ever meet your father" I explained.

Paige's eyes tightened. "If you want to meet him, we can go. But the only reason what we haven't is because I'm trying to protect you from him. He doesn't _deserve _to meet you, Emily. Not after everything he's done, and everything he _would _do." My heart melted. This was a glimpse of Paige's anger but it was only out of protection for me.

"We don't have to talk about this now though." I said. "But I'm glad to know that if I do want to meet him, you're not going to stop me" It was sweet, like she would put herself through pain and anger just to make sure I knew that she wasn't hiding me.

"Yeah enough of this for now" Paige agreed. "How you feel about breakfast in bed?"

**Hey! Whenever ur done whatever ur doin ;) call me! we should all hangout later Spencer was thinkin lunch then the park? –Hanna**

I read Hanna's text message and rolled my eyes at her assumption. It was just passed noon and me and Paige had just finished an amazing breakfast she had made for me. Paige was doing the dishes while I sat on the couch, wearing nothing but one of her oversized Flyers T-shirts. I was content to stay like this all day but being cooped up in the apartment would have called for some unnecessary comments from Hanna and probably even Spencer.

"Hey, Paige?" I called. She looked up to me and smiled brightly. She was wearing some cotton shorts along with a loose fitting T-shirt, yet she still looked amazingly attractive.

"What's on your mind, beautiful?" She asked.

"How do you feel about going to the park to hang out with the girls?" I asked. "No pressure, I'm happy staying here all day with you like this its just Hanna texted me and you know how she gets." I explained.

Paige laughed, "No I like the sound of that" She replied. "I'm just gonna finish these, go shower and we can go if you'd like?"

"Perfect! I'll tell Hanna we'll meet them around one then" I sent Hanna a quick text saying we'd skip lunch but meet them at the park. Paige finished with the dishes and then began removing her shirt as she walked to the bathroom. All I could see was her back as she sauntered away from me. It wasn't fair. I wanted nothing more than to join her but we both knew if I did that we'd never make it out of here on time. Not only would that drive Spencer up the wall but Hanna would know… Hanna always _knew_.

We decided to walk to the park hand in hand. Chatting idly about our next swim meet and our rankings. We arrived at the park a little early so we sat on the bench waiting for the others to come. About 10 minutes later Hanna and Aria arrived.

"wow you two actually _are _here!" Hanna exclaimed as she walked up, giving me and Paige each a kiss on the cheek. She was extra perky today for some reason… _great_.

I rolled my eyes, "I told you we'd be here Hanna"

"Yeah but we figured you two would end up shacked up in Paige's apartment anyway" Hanna explained.

Paige laughed, "And yet you're here without Caleb?"

"Well! After an amazing night of dancing… you see we actually made it through the dance without needing to tear the clothing off of each other like some people" Hanna looked at us accusingly, "and I left him high and dry on the count of girl's night, which you two abandoned so you could have girl _on _girl night." Paige just shrugged her shoulders, apparently finding it useless to deny it. I buried my face in her shoulder out of embarrassment but Hanna just continued, "so I met up with Caleb this morning to properly thank him for last night's dance" We all groaned at the information Hanna just gave to us.

"What?" She asked out of confusion. "Don't tell me you two were playing checkers this morning because I can tell when a girl got laid and you two both have that 'I just had sex' look."

I had finally had enough, "Someone else talk please! Or Hanna isn't going to survive the rest of this afternoon" I groaned. "Where's Spencer?" I asked. Spencer was still nowhere in sight.

"Maybe not your best question, Emily." Aria answered. "Do you remember a little challenge Spencer put Paige up to when you guys first met?" I thought for a moment but I came up short.

Aria sighed, "Lets just say it wasn't mine or Hanna's idea to come to the park today…" she looked pointedly at the soccer pitch. It clicked. Spencer wanted to challenge Paige to a one on one field hockey match. I groaned. Only could Spencer and Paige make a one on one game out of a team sport. Paige looked up cheerfully.

"Good thing I wore my runners today" She chimed.

I groaned even louder, "No! You can't be injured for this week's meet!" It was the only excuse I could think of that Paige might actually listen to but in truth I doubted that this would be a little friendly competition. There was bound to be some argument and who ever lost I would be hearing all about it.

"I can't just forfeit, babe. Sorry" Paige replied. She didn't look sorry at all. This was going to be awful.

"Maybe you should have just kept her in the apartment" Hanna whispered.

"Not now Hanna!" I yelled.

Just then, Spencer showed up, walking up to us all decked out in workout gear while carrying to hockey sticks and a ball. She was smirking cockily as she handed Paige a stick. Paige returned the grin and they sized each other up.

I walked over and stood between them. "Ok I'm setting a few ground rules here." They looked at me and rolled their eyes. "Spencer I swear if you injure her I'm going to shove that hockey stick right up your—"

"Em!" Paige whined. "I can handle my own I don't need to be babied"

I rolled my eyes, "Yes you do, you both do. Anyways if this gets to aggressive I'm calling it off. This is also the one and only time that this is happening, no rematches. That's all." I turned and walked back to Aria and Hanna who were laughing at my outburst.

"Oh and whoever wins, we don't want to hear about it for the rest of our lives" Hanna added.

Spencer grinned "Fine by me. You ready McCullers?"

"Always. How about you? You look like you could use a little warm up" Paige teased.

"Whatever, lets go"

**Paige's POV**

I looked at Emily and smirked before following Spencer to the soccer pitch. She was not thrilled about this but I certainly was. "You looked a little tired, Hastings. Late night with Toby?" I teased.

Spencer snorted, "Please! I could be asking you the same question about Emily but I already know the answer to that" she sneered.

"So uptight all the time Hastings…. You _need _to get laid just to loosen you up a little." I joked.

Spencer just glared at me, "I really don't care what Emily said, you're gonna pay for that one McCullers" she whispered menacingly.

"Enough talk… lets play some hockey"

We did a makeshift faceoff and began the game. It was rough, most goals were scored when we knocked the other one to the ground and got a break away. We could both hear Emily yelling in the background but I sort of tuned her out for the time being. We were both drenched in sweat from sprinting back and forth across the field. It was obvious I had more stamina than Spencer but she was the better sprinter. I blamed that on her skinny structure. There was 10 minutes left in our game and we were both tied 10-10 at the moment. It was getting tense. Our competitive sides overpowered our friendship side and we were both giving it our all and getting extremely frustrated neither of us was on top. I finally got the breakaway I needed, sprinting for the net when I felt Spencer body check me. For such a skinny chick she sure sent me flying this time. I hit the ground with the huff, knocking the wind right out of me, forcing me to lay there for a moment as I watched Spencer sprint and score a goal, putting her in the lead. I tried to regulate my breathing but I was still pretty winded. I was keen enough to see the look on Emily's face though. She sprinted to me, looking angry as hell and I thought I was about to get it for agreeing to the game in the first place. But I wasn't going to let Emily put an end to my fun just yet. I forced myself up from the ground, grabbing my hockey stick just as Emily reached me.

"Paige are you alright?!" Emily called, looking at me worriedly. She touched my face and looked me up and down for injuries. I had to admit the attention Emily was prepared to give me was almost enough for me to play up an injury but I would never live it down if Spencer had won so I pushed that thought aside and shrugged my shoulders.

"Of course, why wouldn't I be?" I asked nonchalantly. I went to sprint back to midfield for another faceoff but Emily grabbed my arm, spinning me back to her.

"That's it I'm calling this off!" Emily looked pissed. She began dragging me back to the sidelines where Aria and Hanna stood.

"What?" I whined. "C'mon Em we're just having some fun! I can't just quit while she's ahead" I complained.

"That's not fun! You two look like you wanna kill each other out there and I'm not about to witness that!" Hanna and Aria were snickering at me getting in trouble. "Spencer I think we're done here!" Emily called. I groaned and Emily swated me in the side.

"You're no fun" I murmured.

Spencer sprinted over to us with a proud smirk, "forfeit with only 10 minutes left McCullers? Brave of you." She beamed.

"Sorry, mother Emily over there intervened." I grumbled.

"You can use her as an excuse all you want, you still forfeited, meaning I'm the winner" she stated.

"Fine.. whatever you say Hastings." I agreed. She was right. If someone made her forfeit I would have rubbed it in her face too.

"Say it, McCullers. 'Spencer Hastings is the better field hockey player'" Spencer looked at me expectantly.

"I'm not saying that" I said flatly.

"You have to say it" Spencer glared at me while smirking cockily.

"Screw off, Hastings" I growled, brushed passed her while walking away.

"Jeeze Paige I was just messing with you. No need to get all pissy" Spencer mumbled.

"I hate forfeiting!" I whined. Emily came up behind me and began rubbing my shoulders. I tensed at first but I realised if I wanted to get a decent massage out of Emily I should probably cooperate.

"Do you guys even realise how cold it is right now? It's like the middle of November why would you even play field hockey now?" Aria questioned.

"Why not?" Me and Spencer replied. We smirked at each other.

We all began walking back to my apartment. Me and Spencer were pretty worn out after our afternoon workout and the other girls complained of being freezing.

"So Paige are you gonna give us some details about Emily now that you've actually done the deed?" Hanna asked as we entered my apartment.

"I'm not playing that game again, Hanna" I replied.

Hanna grumbled and glared at me, "Fine but she's gonna tell us all about you so this is your chance to make up for that"

I looked at Emily questioningly and she shrugged, "What we're best friends and its not like I have anything bad to say…" Emily trailed off and I smiled with pleasure at her indirect compliment towards me. Hanna sighed with satisfaction at receiving the tiniest detail and walked off. She went over to Spencer who has plumped down on the coach and began bugging her about details with Toby.

"Since when are you the open one in our relationship?" I questioned. Usually it was me revealing too much and Emily getting embarrassed.

Emily stuck her tongue out at me. "Well if my friends are going to find out either way from you I figured they should at least get my side of things" Emily stated.

"No need to be sassy with me, it was only a question" I mumbled. Emily just glared at me. "What? Are you still mad about that stupid game? Jeeze if anything I should be mad!" I complained. Emily was being ridiculous about the whole thing and it was killing my mood.

"You can't be injured for the next swim meet, Paige. And it was heading in that direction the way you and Spencer play!" Spencer shot her head up and smirked at me. I flipped her off, causing a huff from Emily. "See!"

"Wow, Em. Freaking out about my swimming performance? You're starting to sound like my dad" I said. I clamped my hand over my mouth at what I just said. I hadn't actually meant it like that but Emily couldn't read my mind. A look of complete hurt crossed her features for a moment before anger took its place.

"Shit! Em I didn't—"

"Save it, Paige." Emily turned and tried to walk away so I grabbed her around the waist and pulled her back flush against my front. She tried to squirm away but I held her close.

"Let me go!" Emily demanded. Grasping at my arms trying to fight me off.

"Not until you listen." I whispered in her ear. "I didn't mean it like that, Emily. It came out all wrong." I explained. I let her go and she turned to face me.

"What did you mean then, Paige? Because whether you wanted to say it or not you still said it" The look of hurt returned to her face.

"It was supposed to be ironic really. You're nothing like my dad because you worry about _me _and not my swimming. You know how much it would hurt _me _if I couldn't swim in the meet this week where my dad would worry about how much it would hurt my swimming. I didn't mean for it to come out that way I swear. I say a lot of stupid things you should know that by now." I explained.

Emily cracked a smile, "You're lucky I love you. And you're right about me worrying about you."

I nodded in agreement. "You have no idea how lucky I am Emily." I leaned in and kissed her only to hear Hanna squeal in happiness.

"Oh my god! Paige you are too cute! Emily you have like the best relationship ever why do you even bother getting mad at her?" Hanna asked.

Emily rolled her eyes, "You make a good point, Han." Emily smiled.

"So I'm forgiven for my stupidity?" I asked cheerfully while giving her my best version of puppy dog eyes.

Hanna stepped in between Emily and I. "Of course baby!" Hanna called out, mimicking Emily lamely before stepping closer to me and nuzzling into my side. I decided to play along so I leaned down to the shorter girl and puckered my lips, clearly showing what my next move was going to be. Hanna squealed and tried to escape from me. "Paaige!" she cried. I started making kissing noises and chased her around the apartment, pretending like I was trying to kiss her. "Stop it!" Hanna cried. I finally caught up to her. Instead of fighting Hanna assumed the fetal position and covered her face with her hands.

"Come on, _baby_, I thought you wanted this?" I asked tauntingly. I could hear Aria, Emily and Spencer howling with laughter in the background. I started placing kisses to her hand covered face.

"Emily make her stop!" Hanna cried through her hands.

Emily just laughed louder, "Han, you brought this on yourself I really can't help you" Emily stammered out between laughs.

"Seriously Emily! You should be jealous or something!" Hanna complained. I continued attacking her with kisses until I felt satisfied that I had annoyed her enough and proved my point to I stood up. Hanna scrambled up, looking completely baffled at my actions from a minute ago.

"I'm impressed Paige! I didn't think you had it in ya!" Hanna recovered. I smirked at her before looking at Emily apologetically.

She just continued recovering from her laughing fit, "You guys are so weird."

"Me?!" I asked in mock horror. "It's not my fault Hanna's so irresistible!" I joked.

"Hey! That's not funny!" Hanna called, pretending to be offended at my teasing. "And you're not gonna catch me dead being on your side when you and Emily bicker again!"

"Hey did you guys realise that the Truth Up event is this Friday night?" Aria asked suddenly while reading a message from her phone.

"The what?" I asked.

"Truth Up event. It's this overnight school thing where we're all supposed to be honest with each other, faculty and students." Aria explained.

"But what usually happens is more fighting and accusations" Spencer added.

"To bad I'm going to Philly Friday night then" I said smugly. I wouldn't attend an event like that by choice.

"Paige its mandatory unless you have parent permission to miss it" Emily said. They all looked as though they were dreading the event. I would never have dreamed of going but asking my dad to miss the event wouldn't have ended well either.

"Awesome" I mumbled. I hated events like this where I was supposed to talk about my feelings to random strangers. The girls were right that these types of events usually caused more problems than they fixed.

"I know!" Hanna agreed sarcastically. "These things are stupid! You should have been there last year! I was accused of sending pictures of my step sisters boobs around the school, Emily was being mistreated by the principle, and Spencer learned she had an illegitimate brother! Jenna Marshal almost ratted us out abou—

"Hanna!" Emily interjected.

"You have an illegitimate brother?" I asked Spencer curiously.

Spencer groaned. "No! Well kind of. Jason DeLaurentiis is my half brother apparently. But he moved away shortly after exposing the truth to my family."

"Spencer doesn't like talking about it" Hanna added. "I mean I know I wouldn't want to admit I was related to Allison in some sick twisted way"

"Wait a second? Allison is related to Spencer?" I asked, shocked.

"No!" Hanna answered. "Allison _was _Jason's younger sister. Half sister. Spencer is the other half. That's why Jason is only half an asshole because he isn't a pure DeLaurentiiss like Allison was."

Hanna made it pretty clear that she wasn't a fan of Allison. I had never really heard much about Allison before just that the five girls were close, Emily was in love with her and that she went missing a couple years ago and they found her body last August along with the killer, Ian, Melissa Hastings ex boyfriend. Apparently there was a lot more to the already complicated story.

"I'm confused? I thought Allison was your best friend Hanna?" I asked.

"That was before the Jenna Thing. And before she went missing and I realised how good my life was without her." Hanna replied. I sensed this was a touchy subject for all of the girls. Emily remained emotionless and I wondered what she was thinking.

"Jenna thing?" I asked expectantly.

"It's not important! When Jenna doesn't know the real truth she makes stuff up" Emily suddenly spoke up. "Can we not talk about this now?" Emily looked at us frantically. My curiosity was burning, the 'Jenna Thing' sounded pretty bad whatever it was. I had never met Jenna Marshal, Toby's step sister but Toby made it clear he wasn't a fan of her. I looked at Emily questioningly and she had that worried, guilty expression I hadn't seen much of lately. I decided to let it go. When Emily was ready to tell me she would and I knew if I asked directly she wouldn't lie to me. I would find out sooner or later.

"Don't trust anything Jenna says this Friday, Paige. There was a reason her and Ally were rivals. They were both too much alike for their own good. Jenna likes to cause problems." Spencer informed me.

I didn't like the sound of that. These girls were good people, really the only people that had put much of an effort in being my good friends during my time in Rosewood. There was no way that they could have done anything wrong, whatever the situation may be. None of the girls, especially Spencer tolerated bullies and I wouldn't have Jenna accusing them of something they obviously wouldn't do. I was hoping this Truth Up event would go by without incident but these types of things usually had a way of causing problems so I just hoped I could avoid Jenna, Megan and Chelsea so my night would be bearable.


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N- Here's the next update! Thanks to everyone's kind words about the story so far and I always appreciate every review and PM! Feedback on this chapter specifically will be much appreciated and as always suggestions and critique is welcome. Thanks for reading. **

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**Paige's POV- **

"Are they seriously going to separate all of us?" I grumbled as I checked the list of my 'Truth Group'. None of the other girls were on the list with me, leaving me with 20 strangers that I was supposed to open up to. The only other people I was even familiar with on the list was Noel Kahn, the school douche-bag and Jenna Marshal. _Jenna Marshal_. Great. One of the three people I wanted to avoid tonight is going to be spending time with me until 10.

The set up was that we arrived, checked in, put our sleeping bags in the girls sleeping quarters which was the gym, while the guys got the auditorium. From there we had to find our name and room number where we would be spending time with our 'Truth Group'. It all sounded really hokey to me but I went along with it. Emily warned me that the principle liked to single out kids with a particular bad attitude about this event. Apparently the whole thing was his 'brilliant' to bring the student body closer together. It sounded like a bunch of bull to me. We would spend until 10:00 with our 'Truth Group' doing random activities and talking about our own experiences with bullying and the struggles of being a teenager. I could go on all way about why being a teenager sucks but that didn't mean that I was willing to in front of a bunch of kids I went to school with, along with faculty that probably hated this event as much as I did.

Emily looked at my group and sighed. "Wow you really don't have anybody. That sucks Paige. It looks like Aria is in my group." I took her sheet and looked at it.

"Lucky!" I kept reading the sheet and noticed another name. Apparently Emily wasn't actually as lucky as I thought. "Chelsea Gaoler" I read aloud.

Emily glared at her sheet. "Great. As if this night wasn't going to be painful enough." Emily seethed. "I swear if she says one thing about—"

I pressed my finger to Emily's lips in order to stop her rant, "Shhh..Relax, Em. Don't make this night worse for yourself by saying anything to her. For me?" I asked sweetly.

Emily looked at me deeply for a moment. I knew that she wanted nothing more than to rip Chelsea a new one still but I didn't want her to get in trouble tonight. "Only if you promise not to listen to a word Jenna Marshal has to say" Emily finally replied.

"Deal" I agreed easily. "So I guess this is goodbye until 10pm right? I mean if I don't throw myself out the window before then" I joked.

Emily rolled her eyes and wrapped her arms around my neck, "See you soon, babe" Emily whispered.

I leaned in and gave her a quick peck, "Love you." I turned and made my way for room 301 to meet my group. I trudged my way into the room. All of the desks were pushed out of the way and the chairs were in a perfect circle in the middle of the room. There were only a few others in here at this point and I recognised the two faculty members as Mr. Fitz, my literature teacher and Ms. Bonisteal, some science teacher who I had heard was pretty chill. They were both younger teachers, Mr. Fitz obviously only a few years older than myself which was a little comforting considering the situation. I looked at the parent volunteer. I didn't know her by name but she looked oddly familiar, I knew I had seen her somewhere before. I looked at the name tag, 'Jessica DiLaurentis'. I blinked a few times while staring at the name. It had to be some sort of mistake. I looked at the woman and I saw the resemblance to Allison from the picture I saw on Emily's dresser. This was Allison's mother. What sick twist of fate put me in the same room with my girlfriends murdered best friend in which she was in love withes mother. As if I now had to deal with this burden as well. My plan of survival for tonight was to say as little about myself as possible. There was 19 other students in the room, hopefully a few of them would actually open up just to fill up some of the time.

I made my way over to Mr. Fitz, trying to distract myself from staring at Allison's mom. "Hey Mr. Fitz" I said politely.

He gave me a charming smile in return, "Hello Paige. I'm glad to have one of my favorite students in the group tonight" He winked at me jokingly. Mr. Fitz was a pretty nerdy teacher but he was also very charming. I could understand why most of the girls gushed over him but personally he wasn't my type, gay or not. Teacher crushes weren't my thing.

I laughed, "Isn't the student supposed to be the one sucking up to the teacher?" I asked.

"I was actually hoping you could cause a diversion so I can make my escape" Mr. Fitz whispered.

"Sorry, Fitz. If I'm stuck here so are you. We're in this together remember?" I said sarcastically.

I looked around and noticed most of the students were here now. I made my way over to a seat. Mr. Fitz sat beside me and the circle of 23 chairs was completed. I looked around me, taking in the students I would be sharing the next 3 hours with. I noticed Noel Kahn with his usual cocky grin sitting next to Jenna. This was the first time I had ever seen her but I recognised her instantly because of the oversized dark sunglasses she was wearing, the kind that only a blind person would be able to tolerate wearing inside.

The story I had got from around school was that Toby was throwing firecrackers in the garage a couple of years back not knowing that Jenna was inside. The whole place burned down and Jenna was blinded in the fire. Toby was sent to some school for delinquent teenagers because of the incident. I couldn't see Toby as the type of guy to randomly play with firecrackers so I really didn't know the truth. Kids loved to gossip about stories like that and it could result in a lot of lies.

"Alright folks" Ms. Bonisteal spoke up, standing from her chair and speaking to the group. "Welcome to Truth Up night. I know some of you aren't thrilled to be here but we're all in this together" I looked at Mr. Fitz and he smirked at me ".. and I think we can all take something from this event as long as each one of us puts the effort in. Now, let's start with a little meet and greet." We went around in the circle stating our names to everyone else. "Alright. I want to make it clear that we are all on an equal level here tonight, teachers included." Ms. Bonisteal continued. "We are here to guide you forward in these activities and try to relieve any tension you may feel" I suppressed rolling my eyes at her statement. "Now, why don't we start by going around the circle saying something positive about Rosewood or Rosewood High. I'll start." Everyone began saying simple things, everyone cracking up when Noel said the cafs mac and cheese. I went with the simple 'good swim program' answer. "Alright. Now we'll do the same thing again but this time I want you to think of something negative about high school" The same thing happened again, most of us said simple things like workload or stress about next year while a couple kids tried to make jokes.

Most of the night went on like this. I was participating but really not contributing much to the event. Unfortunately most of the students were doing the same thing, in turn creating more questions for me to answer.

Mrs. DiLaurentis read off the next activity for us. "I need a volunteer who is willing to share an experience with bullying they've had you know, get the ball rolling for everyone else. Victim or bully, you won't be judged, in fact if even one of you tells the group a story I think it will be seen as very brave." Somebody snorted derivatively and I looked to see Jenna Marshal snickering.

"Do you want to volunteer Jenna?" Ms. Bonisteal asked expectantly.

"Are you kidding me? I wouldn't tell you guys a word. This school is filled with liars and bullies. I don't need to tell you a _story_ to prove that. Look around you, look at what I _can't _see." Jenna said.

Mrs. DiLaurentis looked at Jenna sympathisingly, "Jenna I'm sorry you feel that way.." She said quietly.

"Please!" Jenna snarled. "You're daughter was the worst one!" There were several gasps throughout the room, myself included. "My life only got better when she died, along with half the student body. Don't pretend like you didn't know she what she was capable of, what her and her little minions used to do. _What they did to me. _Allison's hate and cruelty was _blinding"_ Everyone in the room looked shocked at Jenna's brutal and confusing honesty. It sounded like Jenna was implying that Allison had something to do with Jenna being blind. I knew that couldn't be possible. Could it?

"I don't know what you're talking about" Mrs. DiLaurentis mumbled. Her eyes were welling up and it looked like she was on the verge of tears.

Mr. Fitz stood up, "I think that's enough, Jenna" he said sternly.

Noel stood up as well, "Why Mr. Fitz? Wasn't the point to tell the whole truth today? I think we were all really starting to come together here"

Mr. Fitz glared at him. "Enough" he restated.

"Why? Afraid of the truth Mr. Fitz?" he said threateningly.

"Oh shut up, Kahn!" another kid called.

"You got something to say, Lucas?" Noel said tauntingly.

"Yeah! You're a stuck up jock who's peak is high school. You think you own the place but guess what? Nobody cares about you. You're going nowhere but down after high school, pretty soon everyone else is gonna see that" Lucas said. He was a smaller kid but I admired him standing up to Noel.

Noel threw a shove at him, effectively starting a brawl between a few of the guys. Mr. Fitz tried to break it up while there was a lot of shouting and arguing going on around the class. I saw Mrs. DiLaurentis leave in tears and I couldn't believe that Jenna had said something so hurtful to her. She was sitting there smiling, listening to the ruckus.

"That was pretty rude of you Jenna" I called to her.

She just smirked wider, "Paige, right?"

"Yes"

"You're Emily's new girlfriend. Sweet Emil? I bet you think she's never hurt a soul but you're wrong. She followed Allison like a lost puppy, did her biding like a servant. You don't know her as well as you think you do, I can guarantee you that." I was took for a loop on that one, it made me curious.

"And you're the mighty know it all of the school?" I asked, annoyed.

"People talk. I'm blind, not deaf but people still treat me like I can't hear them. I heard Emily say you were bullied and she couldn't stand seeing you deal with that. Such a hypocrite." Jenna said.

"What are you talking about?" I asked frustratedly. She was doing a lot of talking but it wasn't making any sense.

"Why don't you ask your _sweet innocent _girlfriend. I'm sure our sides of that night differ"

I was about to ask what her side was when I heard Fitz yell. "ENOUGH!" he screamed. Everyone stopped. The principle had entered the room to investigate the commotion. "I think we're done here tonight" Mr. Fitz said calmly.

"Lucas, Kahn. Come with me please" the principle spoke sternly. "And Jenna, why don't you join us" I wanted to ask her more but she stood up, that same awful smirk returning to her features and she left the room.

"I think everyone can make their way to their sleeping areas now. You can wander the halls for the next half hour but you're to be in bed by 11:30." Ms. Bonisteal said. I could tell she just wanted us out of here. We all eagerly left the room 15 minutes earlier than the other groups so I went to the room Emily was posted at to wait for her dismissal. While I waited I had time to think about what Jenna said.

Her words replayed in my head over and over. _Allison's hate and cruelty was blinding. _That line couldn't have been a coincidence. There was no way. That was Jenna accusing Allison, along with the other girls of causing the fire wasn't it? That was ridiculous. There was no possible way that my friends, my girlfriend would have started a fire. But did I really know them before Allison died? From everything I had heard, this Allison girl was trouble. Hanna basically admitted she was awful and Emily never wanted to talk about her. Come to think of it I never really knew what actually happened to Allison and why Emily said that she loved her. She never said Allison loved her back. _You don't know her as well as you think you do_. No. This was Emily. I knew Emily and she wouldn't have done something just because Allison asked her to. Emily wasn't that girl. Emily stood up for me when I was being bullied myself. Said she didn't tolerate bullies, that I didn't deserve it.

_Such a hypocrite._ Maybe Jenna Marshal experienced the same thing I did. I had been told Jenna was an instigator but maybe she started out as a victim. I knew what that felt like. Being pushed to the point where you didn't know who you were anymore. Maybe Allison did that to her after all. Maybe Emily wasn't as honest as I assumed.

But what did that mean to me? I couldn't contemplate Emily being this ruthless girl that Jenna made her out to be. If one thing was clear, I wasn't getting the full story when it came to Jenna, Emily and Allison and it was coming time that I needed some answers about Emily's past with the girls. Who had Emily used to be? _Such a hypocrite. _

"Hey beautiful. Are you waiting for me?" Emily beamed at me, leaning in for a kiss. I returned the kiss but it felt off, I felt strange.

"Yes I am" I replied curtly.

"Well you survived, that's a good sign. I was beginning to worry you know?" Emily joked. I smiled but it didn't reach my eyes. "Was it as bad as you thought?"

"Yeah something like that" I mumbled. Emily looked at me in concern. I couldn't bring myself to take away her worry, I had too much on my mind at present.

"Hey" Emily brushed my hair behind my ears, looking me directly in the eyes. I stared into her deep brown orbs, not finding anything but honest concern. I found myself looking for some sort of clue, a sign that Emily wasn't who I thought she was but I saw nothing but the girl I loved. "Paige what's going on? Did something happen? Did somebody..I mean no body was mean to you right?" She asked. I wanted to laugh at that. I really didn't know the answer to that question.

"I'm fine really. No one was directly cruel to me although our 'Truth Group' kind of blew up in our face. Let's just say the truth came out, along with a few fist fights" I explained.

Emily looked shocked. "Seriously? Tell me everything" Emily sounded excited.

I sighed. I was going to have to talk to her sooner or later about everything and starting with Jenna's provocation of Mrs. DiLaurentis would be a good place to begin. "Can we go somewhere?" I asked.

Emily looked even more concerned. "Of course. The courtyard is probably empty… even if it's a little cold.."

"That's perfect" I began walking, keeping a quick pace that Emily was struggling to keep up with. _Wow Paige freak her out why don't you_. But I really couldn't help the way I was acting. I felt almost betrayed. Even if what Jenna was implying was complete bullshit Emily still hadn't talked to me about Allison. I felt we were closer than that and it kind of hurt.

We entered the courtyard. It was pretty chilly but I needed the fresh air after being cooped up in that stuffy classroom with high tension for the last 3 hours. I sat on the bench and motioned for Emily to sit next to me. She looked almost annoyed at my behavior.

"What's going on, Paige. You're starting to worry me here?" She said flatly.

"Sorry. It's just… well.." I went on to explain the situation with Jessica DiLaurentis being there. "Everything was going fine though, it wasn't until the last half hour that things got, well interesting" I explained. I repeated what Jenna had said and Emily gasped.

"I can't believe she would say that!" Emily exclaimed. "To Allison's mom? How disrespectful can one person be? I told you she was trouble Paige, I understand why that would bug you but you don't need to be this upset about it."

"That's not what's bugging me, Em." Emily stopped and looked at me again. "Jenna made it seem like.. all of you were a part of the night she was blinded" I barley whispered the words.

Emily gasped. "I told you not to listen to a word she said" Emily said flatly.

"I'm not Emily. But she said some things… and it just got me thinking and we're usually so honest with each other but you never talk about Alli—"

"Because it's upsetting!" Emily suddenly yelled. "My best friend died Paige! I don't like to talk about it."

"Why do I feel like there's more to the story?" I yelled back. "I just want to know Emily. Did Allison do that to Jenna?" I lowered my voice.

"Why are you letting her influence you like that?" Emily asked.

"You didn't answer my question, Emily." I stated. "Did Allison light the fire or not?"

Emily looked down, suddenly her anger disappeared and guilt crossed her face. "No one was supposed to be in the garage. Allison thought it was a stink bomb" Emily explained.

I remained silent. Absorbing what Emily had just admitted. Allison was responsible for the fire that blinded a girl. The pit in my stomach rose all the way to my throat and I suddenly felt choked. I let myself breath for a few moments, choosing my words carefully.

"So you were all there?" I choked out. "That night?"

"Paige I didi—"

"yes or no, Em. Where you there?" I asked

"Yes" she breathed. "But Paige I had no idea that Jenna was in there, none of us did. The only person that might have known was.."

"Allison" I answered. This was all too much to take in. Emily and her friends really were a part of this. Allison was this awful girl who did whatever she wanted. Emily and her friends had worshipped this girl.

"Paige you know me. I wouldn't have done something like that" Emily reached for my hand but I pulled it away. I needed to think straight for a moment.

"Why didn't you tell me this before?" I asked. As much as I couldn't believe that Emily was capable of that, I didn't understand why she hadn't told me. Then something else crossed my mind. "Wait a second. Toby took the fall for that. Everyone blames him. Allison didn't step forward" I said the words as they sunk in. Allison threw Toby under the bus.

"Allison made us keep quiet. She said if we told she would reveal our secrets. She threatened Toby with the same thing so he agreed to go along with it, saying it was an accident. I didn't know about that, I wasn't friends with Toby at the time or I wouldn't have." Emily explained. Her tears were freely falling now. I choked back tears of my own. _Emily was that girl_.

"I don't know what to say" I mumbled.

Emily looked at me desperately. "Paige this doesn't change who I am. Allison had her ways, it was hard to stand up to her"

"So you followed her instead" I finished. "You loved her. How could you love a person like that?" I asked. It was a bad question but it was on my mind and I wasn't thinking right.

Emily looked completely hurt. "How could you say that?" She sobbed. "Allison liked to make me feel special Paige! She knew about me before I did. She used it on me and it worked! Do you think I'm some terrible person because I loved a girl who did these things?" she asked.

Her accusation angered me even more, "No! I could care less about Allison DiLaurentis. What I care about is that you followed her. You let an innocent guy take the fall for her. You let her blind a girl. How could you do that? What other things did _Allison _make you do Emily?" I yelled. I was fuming at this point. The feeling of betrayal stung like a knife in the gut.

Apparently Emily was getting mad to. "I don't know what to tell you Paige. I'm sorry I was that person. I'm sorry that I used to stand by while Allison tortured people. But most of the time I was unaware. We were her friends, we didn't see how awful she was being all the time"

"Because you were a part of it. Who are you Emily? Because right now I feel like I'm finding out about a whole different Emily Fields"

"That's not who I am anymore!" Emily defended. "Damn it Paige why are you letting Jenna put a wedge between us? Don't you see? She hates us. This is what she wants" Emily sobbed again.

"Can you really blame her?" I asked aloud. "This is hard for me to think about Emily. Its impossible to think the girl that saved me from being bullied to death was once with one of the worst bullies. How am I supposed to deal with this?" I felt my own tears begin to fall. Emily raised her hand like she was going to wipe them away but I flinched away from her touch.

She was visabally angry at my rejection. "What are you trying to say Paige? My past is too much to handle? You don't like that I loved a girl who made people suffer? You can't help who you love Paige! How could you let Jenna do this to us?"

"Jenna didn't do this. You did this by not telling me about Allison sooner. I feel betrayed Emily. I honestly just can't believe that you let Allison walk all over you, and you _liked _it. No you _loved _it."

"You're not being fair, Paige" Emily warned.

"But that's the truth"

"You wanna play that game? Fine! You slept with some guy you had just met. You let your father control your life. And you let Chelsea and Megan walk all over you from the first day instead of standing up for yourself. See! Its not so easy to stand up when it comes down to it" Emily snarled.

I processed the words. I clenched my fists together and felt the familiar anger rushing through my body. Underneath the anger was unadulterated hurt. I let my tears fall. Thinking carefully before I let Emily see the temper that was about to unleash. "I'm going to walk away because if I don't… I'm going to say something stupid and then we'll never work out"

"Paige" Emily whispered sadly. "Paige!" She sobbed again.

I stood abruptly and walked back to the doors of the school. I didn't let myself think for the time being. I thought I noticed the door was creaked open and I hoped no one heard our yelling match. I opened the door and trucked through the halls. I needed to get out of here before I ran into somebody I knew. I wanted to hit something. I wanted to cry. I wanted Emily to pull me into an embrace and take away everything that had happened tonight. I would rather be in the dark in comparison to feeling like this. I snuck passed the teacher standing by the front doors and exited the school. I ran across the street, ending up in the small park. I wondered around for a little while before sitting on a nicely designed bench with a water fountain and tile surroundings.

I looked at the inscription on the bench and wanted the throw up.

_In loving memory of Allison DiLaurentis. _

It seemed as though the world was out to get me tonight. I slammed my fist into the marble bench out of anger. I should have known better but I barely felt the pain twisting through my hand. How do people deal with finding out that a person they loved isn't who you thought they were? The only thing on my mind was the fact that, had I shown up in Rosewood two years ago Emily could have been the bully. Instead of helping me, Emily could have, probably would have, been a part of Allison's plot to ruin the new girl. The more I found out about Allison the more sick I felt. I needed time to process this. It's not so much that I don't see Emily as the same person anymore, I love her with everything that I have. I'm so afraid that its going to happen. That I'm going to look in her eyes and see something different. I can't deal with wondering whether or not ill see something else inside her after this.

What else is shocking, and really where the source of my anger is coming from is Allison. How on earth could Allison just wrap Emily around her finger like that? If Emily loved her how could Allison treat her that way? Emily of course didn't deserve that. Allison sounded like a manipulator. How could anyone hurt Emily that way? Allison didn't deserve Emily, and right now I didn't deserve her either. I couldn't hurt Emily, because in turn it hurt myself. I was being a coward tonight over something from the past. Emily was right, if I judged her for her past what was to stop her from judging mine? We both made mistakes and maybe hers hit me close to home but walking away tonight only made the anger and hurt worse. Worse because now I was afraid of what walking away from Emily would do to me. I needed to look at her, see those eyes again and dissolve my fear. I needed to tell her I wasn't angry with her. I was mad at Allison and I just needed a moment to realise that.

I stood from the bench, giving it one last look. "I didn't know you Allison. But if I did, you would have regretted treating Emily like shit" I walked away, back to the school to find the only thing that would make everything okay again.

As I went back to the entrance, I noticed Chelsea and Megan standing on the street. They were obviously staring at me and I was not in the mood for any of their comments. Chelsea smirked at me, "Pay Allison a visit did you?"

I remained silent and continued walking towards the door. Chelsea continued, "Heard your fight with Emily in the courtyard. Never knew she loved Ally. Bet it just makes you seethe to think about Emily loving her dead friend. Replacing Allison is impossible but Emily really didn't try to hard"

I stopped for a moment. I could have easily beaten the shit out of her, I didn't care that Megan was with her I would do as much damage as possible win or lose.

_Emily Emily Emily _I chanted in my head. I needed to find her and fighting Chelsea would just make tonight worse for her. I took a breath and smiled at Chelsea. "If Emily wanted to replace Allison she wouldn't have had to look too far. If she wanted another bitch she could have easily chose you" I opened the door and continued walking, turning my back to Chelsea for the time being.

I was about to enter when I noticed a teacher standing guard at the front door. _Great now I'd have to find a way to sneak back in._ I thought for a moment about other possible entry points and remembered the broken window in the girls' washroom on the first floor. It was behind the school and I'd have to do some fence hopping, but I was pretty desperate to get back inside at this point. I turned away from the door, to notice that Megan and Chelsea were no longer standing there, but were crossing the road to the park. I shrugged my shoulders making my way hastily to the back of the school. Getting in was going to be a challenge with my now swollen and bruised right hand. I now regretted punching the indestructible marble. It would only make breaking back into the school a more tedious process. I probably could just text Emily but that wouldn't do after this fight. I had to see Emily.

**Emily's POV-**

"Paige!" I choked out as she walked away. She was stiff and quick in her movements and before I knew it she was out the door and back in the school, leaving me out in the chilly night alone. What did her walking away even mean? We couldn't be over, Paige wouldn't just walk away from me. Then again I fucked up. I fucked up big time. I hit a nerve with Paige tonight and I hadn't even saw it coming. I didn't want Paige to know about Allison. That was a time of my life that was messed up for so many reasons.

At the time I was confused about who I was. I was pretty sure I was gay but the hardest time was admitting it to myself, and watching my entire future change before my eyes. Allison made that change difficult. One day she would act like she wanted me too, being sweet and caring. Then the next day she would treat me like I was nothing and that my feelings for her were wrong. I thought that was the day it had to be, and the times she made me feel special, well it made the bad times worth it, or so I thought. My love for Allison was so confusing, loving her as a friend and being in love with her made my feelings harder to figure out. And then, when she realised how much I really loved her, how much I worshipped her she used it against me. I didn't notice how awful it was until after she went missing and Aria, Spencer, Hanna and I became closer. When their stories with Allison came out along with my own we realised she wasn't much of a friend most of the time. But she made each and every one of us feel special, so she had her power over us. Not that it was any excuse for the Jenna thing. We all had the option of coming clean for that but instead, we let her take control and throw Toby under the bus to save ourselves. I was capable of that and I will never forgive myself for it, even if Toby has. All of this made being gay even harder. My first experience with love was so awful. I didn't realise there were other options when it came to love. I didn't know I would ever have somebody like Paige.

I sat in the courtyard crying as I thought about all of this. My sobs were deep in my chest and uncontrollable. Why was I just thinking about this stuff? I should be explaining it all to Paige. I shouldn't have fired back at her just because I was upset. She had every right to be angry with me, I should have let her vent and then we could have talked. Instead I fought back, only to watch her walk away. I huddled my knees to my chest, trying to keep myself together. This was the first real fight I had ever had with Paige and it was scaring me. It felt like the only thing needed was for her to hold me together. I calmed myself at the thought of being wrapped protectively in her arms at the end of tonight. I could almost feel her soft hands gently rubbing my back. Paige told me she needed to calm down. She would come back and talk to me. We were going to work this out tonight because that's what we always do.

"Emily?" I heard Aria's confused voice ask. I hastily tried to wipe my tears away but it was no use. She came into the courtyard and took my hand. "Em, you're shivering come on lets go inside." She dragged me up, towing my gently back inside the school and to the empty girls locker room. My sobs quieted and Aria just let me calm down for a moment. "What's going on, Em? We saw Paige leave the school in a fury and we couldn't find you anywhere." Aria looked at me with her big concerned eyes.

"Jenna happened." I mumbled. I went on to explain everything Paige said to me and our fight at the end, along with her walking away. By the end of it I was completely in tears again. I just wanted my Paige here now. Spencer and Hanna showed up at some point and Aria filled them in on what happened.

"I'm sure it will work out, Emily" Spencer said. "Paige just needs time to cool off, she probably didn't want to take all of her anger out on you. She's just confused. Learning about Allison is a lot to take in. None of us is proud of what we did back then and I'm sure Paige knows that" Spencer reasoned.

"She thinks…she thi—" My breathing hitched between my sobs. I focused on getting oxygen for a moment and then continued. "She thinks she can't look at me the same" I sobbed. Hanna took my face in her hands and looked me in the eye.

"Emily I need you to listen. She didn't break up with you, she still loves you. Do you understand that?" I nodded my head. "Ok. She's angry, confused, and shocked you need to give her time. This isn't something that can be processed in a matter of minutes. Now, how has Paige dealt with her anger in the past?" Hanna asked knowingly.

I thought for a moment. "She gets mad, but she doesn't let me see it. She has a bad temper but she only lets it out when she's alone" I mumbled. I understood what Hanna was trying to say. Paige had her own way of dealing with things. I hated it but Paige hid that side of herself from me. Just like I hid my Allison story from her.

I nodded again at Hanna and she smiled sadly. "She's probably off punching a tree or something. It's what she does. But then you know what she does after? She comes back to you." I smiled. Hanna was right. Paige always found her way back to me when she was upset. Almost routinely. I just had to be patient. "Why don't you think about what you're going to say to her while we wait ok? We can walk to the lobby and sit there until she returns." Hanna held out her hand to me and I took it. The four of us walked down the halls until we reached the main entrance where we sat on the bench and awaited my girlfriends return.

I thought for a moment about what I would say. "I think I'm going to start with I'm sorry and I love you" I reasoned. "And then I'm going to explain how special Allison made me feel, and how confused I was about my sexuality at the time. I'm going to tell her every detail I remember about the Jenna thing and maybe she'll understand that we really didn't know what Ally was thinking."

"That's a good idea" Spencer agreed enthusiastically. "She should know more about Allison and what she was capable of"

"I think she knows already" I mumbled. "Who would have thought Allison would be causing problems with my relationship from her grave?" I questioned. Hanna gasped and let out a giggle. Usually I was the one defending Allison when the girls complained about her. Not tonight.

At first we heard the sirens. Then I saw the lights of two police cars pulling up across the road of the school. There was a small park there that was usually occupied by students. My thoughts went immediately to Paige. Was she over there? Did something happen to her? I peeked out the doorway curiously along with a few other students who had been hanging out in the halls. The crowd grew around us as we were trying to figure out what was going on across the road. _Where was Paige?_

An officer crossed the road and began heading towards the school. I backed away from the door to let him in just as the principle cut through the crowd of students to speak with him. I stood close to listen to their conversation.

"Good evening Officer Maple." Principle Tamborellie said politely.

"Evening George. Are you aware of any of your students leaving the premises tonight?"

I gulped. The room started to spin slightly and I felt Aria grip my arm, trying to bring me back to reality. I blinked a few times, trying to remain focused on the conversation before me.

"No. We've had staff watching the doors all night. Nobody has been in or out tonight, I can assure you this" Tamborellie reassured. Teachers were so clueless sometimes. Usually it was hilarious but tonight it irked me to no end. They should have been aware that Paige, along with several other students had snuck out and back in easily. The convenience store down the road probably made a good profit tonight with students in and out of there.

"You're sure?" Tamborellie nodded. "Alright then. I guess we'll take this investigation elsewhere. I'm going to ask that you call your students to the gym and take a full attendance. If anyone's missing report to the police immediately." He pulled out a pen and began scribbling a number down on a piece of paper.

All I could think was that they were trying to identify somebody. _Or somebody's body_. It was a thought I could never get out of my head ever since Allison's death. And now all I was thinking about was Paige. Where was Paige?

The officer turned to leave the school but I had to stop him. "Officer?" I called. He turned and looked at me questioningly. "What's going on? Is someone…" I didn't know how to finish that question without sounding like a nosey teen. But then again I couldn't ask him if they had found Paige because if she was fine I would have just ratted her out to Tamborellie.

He smiled sadly at me. "Emily Fields right?" I was shocked that he knew my name. Then again most of the officers knew the girls and me from our vigilance in the search for Allison.

"Yes" I answered eagerly.

Officer Maple sighed and looked at the growing number of students. "I'm sorry about this Emily. Ladies." He looked at Hanna, Aria, and Spencer. "Alright listen up everyone." He called. The halls went quiet as Officer Maple called our attention. I was listening intently for the information he was about to give. "Tonight there has been an incident at Sills Park across the road." He paused, thinking for a moment before continuing. "An outrageous act of vandalism has taken place. Allison DiLaurentis' memorial site has been destroyed." He informed. There were several gasps and murmurs throughout the room. "We don't know who is responsible for this but we're putting our best effort at finding out. Whoever did this will be severely punished for their disrespect. These girls worked hard on that site and I can't believe that someone was capable of such brutal hate. If anyone has any sort of information, we're asking that you come forward immediately. It would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your cooperation on behalf of the Rosewood PD. Have a safe evening."

He was talking so fast I barely had time to process what he had said before it was over. _Somebody had destroyed Allison's Memorial Bench_. That was more than just an act of hate. That was an attack directly to Allison. Directly to me. I had put so much effort into that bench last year. That memorial helped me work through the fact that Allison was really gone. Before they found her body, I always wondered if she was alive somewhere. I would imagine her on a beach somewhere with a group of girls like us gossiping and living large. When they found her body I needed something to channel my loss along with my love (both as a friend and more) for her. So the girls and I came up with the idea for the bench. It was something special, a place that was completely made for my best friend.

Tonight someone had destroyed it. Tonight I had a terrible fight with Paige about Allison, she had left unbelievably angry. Paige was now nowhere to be found. And someone had apparently violently ripped apart Allison's memorial. I began hyperventilating. This couldn't actually be happening could it? Paige wouldn't do that to me, she couldn't be that person. _I don't want you to see that side of me._ Her words ran through my mind. She had always warned me about her temper but this was completely off the charts. It felt like my heart was being yanked from my chest. I had trusted Paige with everything, I never imagined that she would break my heart this way. she did tonight was unforgivable. I felt my body sway and suddenly I was caught in Spencer and Hanna's arms.

It's one thing to lose someone you love. But to find out the person you believed was so good and so righteous was capable of such malice was heartbreaking. It literally felt like my heart was in pieces. I couldn't even find it in myself to be angry, all I could feel was hurt. I was aware that I was being towed by Spencer and Hanna. My feet were moving but I was so deep in thought I wasn't aware of my surroundings. I heard an awful noise around me, and I wondered what it was until I realised it was my sobs. I couldn't control it.

"You don't think…" Aria trailed off.

"I don't know" Hanna said.

"Where is she?" Spencer asked flatly. I looked at her. Her anger more than enough made up for mine. Her eyes were slits and her nostrils were flaring. I could feel her rough grip on my shoulder. She wanted more than a few words with Paige right now, that was obvious.

"Could it just be a mistake? Bad timing?" Aria questioned. I would have liked to think that. Only Aria would be so hopeful.

Spencer scoffed. "You're kidding right? They were fighting _about _Allison! Paige is known for her temper Aria! We should have known better than to trust her. _I _should have known better. She was our friend. How did I not see this coming!?" Spencer was becoming increasingly angry. She would never forgive herself for trusting Paige. She didn't open up to new people for this reason. She took a chance with Paige and had actually grown to like her a lot. Now this? It wasn't only me who was affected by this. It was my friends, along with the entire student body. Paige had done something that stemmed beyond a simple first fight with me. She took it to a level that I didn't believe she was capable of.

"Girls?" Principle Tamborellie approached us slowly. "I understand this is difficult to comprehend. You girls put so much effort into that memorial. You can stay out here if you'd like, I've already checked your four names off of the attendance list. Is there anything you need me to do for you?"

Spencer looked at me, silently asking whether or not we should mention Paige's absence. I shook my head slightly. He would learn that himself soon enough. "Thank you sir. But we'd just like to process this. Its hard to believe someone is capable of this." Spencer replied. He simply nodded in agreement and made his way into the gym, leaving us here alone. The attendance list wouldn't narrow it down to just Paige. So many students had snuck out and had yet to return. I only hoped when it came time that the police questioned her, she'll make it easy and fess up.

We huddled into a group hug, each of the girls holding me together. Spencer was tense, waiting for Paige. Hanna was silent, something that didn't happen often. Aria had her lips pursed, clearly waiting for more answers.

I was falling apart. _Where was Paige now?_

"Maybe she didn't do it, Em… I mean maybe we should talk to her before we jump to conclusions" Aria suggested.

scoffed. "The coincidence is too much Aria! When I get my hands on her—" we were inturupted by the beeping of my phone. Everyone looked at me apprehensively, expecting it to be Paige. As I looked down I noticed it was a blocked number with a picture attachment. I opened it curiously to see a photo of Paige. It was from a distance and in the dark but it was clearly her. She was standing with her arms crossed, looking down at Allisons memorial bench. The bench was still intact at this point but it was easy to see that Paige was pissed just from her stance. I read the message that went along with the picture.

**Thought you deserved to know the truth. Was walking to the convenience store when I saw what happened. I won't tell but you can decide what to do with this picture. Sorry this happened to you- Anon. **

Every shred of doubt in my mind was now erased as I looked at the picture. I tossed my phone to Hanna and heard the gasps and cries from my friends as they saw the proof. Paige was in the park tonight. Paige had destroyed our dead best friends memorial. What was I supposed to do with this picture?

"Emily?" I heard a voice call. It was Paige. She looked tired and puffy eyed from crying. She was hunched over slightly, not a normal posture for her but she no longer looked so angry. She looked upset, but almost needing. "Emily what's going on there's cops everywhere outside? I heard there rumors about vandalism at Sills?" Paige asked. She began to approach us quickly. "Emily I'm so—" Spencer stepped in my line of sight to Paige. Her back was up and she looked ready for a fight. "Spencer please. I didn't mean to upset Emily I just needed some—"

"What?" Spencer asked flatly. "Some space so you could hurt her even more? Did you think we wouldn't know you did it? Are you really that dumb?" Spencer's voice raised. I was still sobbing, even harder now and I saw Paige peering around Spencer to look at me. She looked confused but almost equally as upset as I was earlier. I noticed her holding her right hand which was bruised and swollen. _From destroying the bench, _I reminded myself.

"What are you even talking about" Paige asked, now looking more confused and hurt. "Spencer? I just need to speak with Emily"

Spencer laughed humorlessly "You really don't get it do you?" Spencer stuffed my phone in Paige's face, showing the picture of her at the park from earlier tonight. "We know you did it Paige! Destroyed Allison's memorial. How could you? How could you be so heartless? It's one thing to get mad and hit a mirror or whatever but you destroyed something Emily worked so hard on. A memorial of our best friend! I didn't think anyone was capable of that kind of disrespect, you of all people!" Spencer yelled.

Paige looked at the picture, finally letting it sink in that we knew. "Spencer…" Paiges voice was small. "I didn't—"

"Are you seriously going to deny it?" Hanna stepped in. "Don't play dumb now. Even I'm not buying it. Spencer was right, the coincidence was too much and now we have the picture to prove it." Hanna stepped towards Paige and Spencer.

"Please just let me talk" Paige begged. Tears were beginning to fall from her eyes. "Do you guys really think I would do that to you? That I would do that to Emily?" Paige's voice sounded heartbroken, almost like there was no fight in her.

I was so confused at this point. Of course I didn't want to believe that Paige had vandalised the memorial but everything was pointing to her. What else was I supposed to think?

"We didn't know what you were capable of when you were mad, but you made it pretty clear tonight." Hanna answered coldly. She backed away from Paige and came back to my hunched sitting form, putting an arm protectively around me.

"Go, Paige. We don't want to see you anymore. Don't bother coming near Emily again. Do you understand?" Spencer demanded.

Paige's tears were freely falling now. "You guys actually don't believe me?" she asked. Her voice was raspy and broke several times. "Emily?" she asked, peering around Spencer again. She caught my gaze and looked at me pleadingly, as if trying to convey her thoughts to me.

"Just go, Paige." I whispered, looking away from her. Right now I just needed Paige to leave.

"No!" Paige protested. Her entire body was trembling with sobs at this point. Her eyes looked shattered and the look on her face would have been heartbreaking if I hadn't already felt so messed up inside because of her. "How can you not believe me? You _know _me Emily! You're the only one who really knows me. I would never—"

"She said leave Paige." Spencer cut her off. "She wants you to leave. We all do. I _trusted _you, and you did something we can't forgive. Leave. Go back to Philly for all we care, just stay out of our lives or that picture is going to the cops."

Paige still tried to protest. "It was Chelsea and Meg—"

Spencer cut her off by giving a good shove to Paige's shoulder. "Stop trying to deny it! Pictures don't lie Paige!" Paige raised her fists momentarily, before putting them back at her sides, not going to retaliate against Spencer.

"I love you Emily. I would never do anything to jeopardise that. But if that's what you all think, I guess I'll just go" her voice was so small, so defeated that it nearly broke my heart again. I was almost willing to tell Spencer to wait a moment for her to explain. As I was about to say something all of our phones beeped and I looked down to check it again. It was another unknown number message with another file attachment. It was a picture of the destroyed memorial bench. The tiles were all busted and the fountain had been kicked over with the pieces shattered on the ground. The bench had also been flipped over, cracked down the middle. I briefly wondered how Paige managed to knock the bench over when I realized I really didn't care about the execution.

Paige had done something completely unforgivable. My heart was broken, I had been betrayed by the one person I thought I could count on with my life. My only question now was, _what do I do now? _

I managed to choke out two words to Paige as she looked at me pleadingly, "We're done."


	14. Chapter 14

**A\N- First of all... wow! I was not expecting the amazing feedback from chapter 13. Thank you to everyone for your opinions and I have to say most of you are bang on about what's happening. I know Emily is being a complete jerk right now and yes the reaction of her finding out the truth is something to look forward to. But for right now, well you're all still going to be pretty mad at Emily and see a very different side of Paige. But bottom line I can't thank you all enough for the reviews and the PMs! I am blown away with how much people liked chapter 13 because I was really nervous the big drama would make people mad, but it definitely had a good effect. **

**Anyway, here is chapter 14 and it is a little bit dry compared to 13 but of course it is setting up for bigger and better things... **

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**Paige's POV-**

_We're done. _I woke up after what was the shittiest, nightmare filled sleep of my life. I didn't think it was possible to cry during sleep but my eyes were still watering. My face was itchy and swollen and I could only imagine how atrocious I looked. I barely had the energy to open my eyes. I heard my phone buzzing but I couldn't bring myself to see who it was.

Last night had definitely made it on my list of worst nights of my life. It seemed like just as I admitted that I needed Emily and being upset with her was pointless, she had found a reason to hate me. A reason that was completely wrong. I should be angry that she doesn't believe that I wasn't responsible for the vandalism to Allison's memorial, but right now I'm only upset that she thinks I'm not worth believing in the first place. Am I really that worthless to her? I didn't want to think about the answer to that question.

After Emily had told me the words 'We're done' I forced my legs to move, getting away from the girls as quickly as possible. I shoved passed the teachers in the lobby guarding the door, I couldn't have cared less about some petty school activity. I needed to get out of there, I needed to be alone to cry. I hadn't thought much last night. The only thing I could even comprehend (barely) was the fact that me and Emily were over. There would be no more late nights at my apartment, no outings with her friends. No more kisses, touches, jokes, smiles… no more of Emily. And the whole reason for it was a false accusation.

How could they accuse me of demolishing Allison's memorial bench. Sure, I was completely pissed at Allison and the girls last night but I didn't have it in me to do something like that. What kind of person would I be to disrespect a murdered girls memorial site, not only that, but the site that my girlfriend had put so much effort into last year. I couldn't do that, no person should be capable of that.

Now that I was awake, I let myself think about how Allison's memorial got wrecked in the first place. And how I was the one being blamed. The only conclusion I had made last night was that Chelsea and Megan had set me up. Their conversation with me last night made it clear that they were the ones who took the photo that Spencer showed me. They must have sent it to Emily to make her believe I was the one who did it. If that was true then they must have been the ones to destroy it as well. _That's how far they were willing to take it? They would ruin a memorial along with my relationship just because they didn't like me? _They had finally won. They took it to a level where I couldn't retaliate this time. They took the one thing that finally beat me. They took Emily's faith in me away, they had made it seem as though I was this heartless person in her eyes.

It broke my heart to think that Emily didn't believe me. _What reason would she have to believe me anyway? _I asked myself. The truth was she had every right to blame me, fake picture or not. I had flipped on her, told her I was mad and walked away, was actually in the park last night, told her I had hated Allison, and had a nicely bruised and battered hand to match up with the story. All evidence pointed to me and in her eyes, I was no longer worth believing.

I was sobbing again as I thought about this. Here I was, back to having nothing in Rosewood when yesterday, it seemed as though I had everything.

I should go out and find her today. Try to explain the truth but what was the point? She didn't find me important enough to listen last night why would this morning be any different? Spencer wouldn't let me see her without a fight anyway, and as much as I hated the girls for that, it made sense. To them I was a ruthless angry girl who had ruined their best friends' memorial. The ultimate betrayal.

What now? I had nothing left it seemed. Emily and her friends were about the only thing that made Rosewood survivable and now they hated me. It wasn't even that they just didn't want to hang out with me anymore, they actually believed I was this person that I wasn't. It made me feel like nothing.

My weekend went by much the same. I didn't leave the apartment, I didn't answer my parents phone calls, Kelly's texts or messages. I was alone in my mind, alone in Rosewood. I finally passed the stage where I felt nothing but completely and utterly alone. Anger was beginning to take form and Chelsea and Megan were my targets.

How dare they? I had never done anything to them and yet they had set up a plan so devious that even my girlfriend thought I was a snake. Emily should have believed me when I tried to blame them but that anger was shrouded by the fact that I wanted nothing more than to lay out Chelsea and Megan. I wanted them to feel the pain they caused me in the only way I knew how.

I forced myself out of bed Monday morning, getting ready for school in a routine way, trying not to think about much. I figured if I could turn myself into a Zombie I might get through the rest of this year, get a swimming scholarship to some faraway place, and try to forget that Rosewood ever existed.

I didn't bother stopping at The Brew, out of fear that I would run into one of the girls. I wasn't ready to face them yet. I got to school just on time to make it to English so I avoided the now lengthy list of people I needed to avoid; Spencer, Aria, Hanna, Jenna, Chelsea, Megan, _Emily_.

I focused on my school work, breezing through my morning classes without any problem. When lunch came, I realised I no longer had anybody to sit with. _Off to the swimming pool I suppose_. I could use the laps to clear my head anyways.

As I was making my way to the pool I caught the eyes of Emily. She was walking with her friends to the usual table with an emotionless expression on her face. She stared at me for a moment before looking down as Hanna wrapped her arm around her shoulder. _That used to be my job when Emily was upset_. Spencer was staring daggers at me and I felt the anger from this morning rush through me again. _What the hell? _Why did this have to happen to me? I stormed off in the direction of the natatorium, ready to swim it out for the rest of lunch.

I did my laps, enjoying the peace and quiet of the pool. I didn't even bother asking the Coach if it was alright because I quiet honestly didn't care and if I happened to drown, well it's not like Rosewood would miss me that much anyways. _Wow Paige? Morbid enough or what?_

"Paige?" I heard Coach Fulton call as she stood over me as I was about to execute another turn. I had pushed my limits today and was really beyond noticing my exhaustion. The only thing I was focusing on was my laps, pushing harder and harder as I progressed. I stopped and pulled myself from the pool, ready to get in trouble for using the facilities unsupervised.

"What?" I asked. My voice came out rather gruff but I didn't care.

Coach Fulton looked at me in concern, "You know what." She said patronizingly. "Ask next time please."

"You got it coach" I shot back.

Coach Fulton looked at me in surprise. Usually I was beyond respectful to her but I was really not in the mood for any sort of social interaction at the moment. I wanted to avoid people all together. "Where's Emily?" Coach asked expectantly. "You two are attached at the hip most days" She smiled. Coach loved our relationship. We bickered and teased and Coach Fulton always cracked a smile at our banter, sometimes fueling it. _Used too_, I reminded myself.

"Yeah well, we broke up." I mumbled.

To say Coach Fulton looked shocked would be an understatement. She looked at me seriously for a moment, I guessed trying to decide if I was being serious or not. "Wow. Paige I'm sorry. I'd have never thought… you two were so good for each other" She murmured.

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah well things change." I shot back. "Don't worry, I won't let it affect the team."

Coach shook her head, looking at me seriously. "Paige that's the last thing I'm worried about here. Are you sure it can't be fixed? Whatever your problems are… I honestly don't understand how you two could have broken up" she stated.

"Ask Emily," I mumbled. "Look I'm done here, so unless I'm in trouble for swimming can I go?" I asked.

Coach Fulton looked like she wanted to stop me but she just shrugged her shoulders. "Paige you can go." I immediately began walking towards the change rooms but I heard her following behind me. "Whatever happened, I hope you don't let it do this to you permanently. You're a good person Paige, you deserve to be happy"

I stopped for a moment and let out a half laugh, half snort. "Try telling the rest of Rosewood that." With that I entered the locker room and continued on with the rest of my day.

I was on my way to the parking lot when I saw Chelsea and Megan. They were heading towards me and after a day like today I wanted nothing more than a fight. What did I even have to stop me? They deserved whatever I gave to them because they did this in the first place! I barely got through one day with Emily hating my guts and it was their fault. As they walked by I let my shoulder nudge Megan roughly. She stumbled back.

"Watch where you're walking" She said. I just backed up and nudged her again. "What the hell?" She asked.

"Don't act so clueless." I snarked. "You think I don't know what you two did? How could you do it? I knew you two were bitches but I really didn't think you'd stoop that low."

Chelsea laughed teasingly, keeping her voice low, "It worked didn't it?" That was it. She had just openly admitted she had set me up. "A little too easy if you ask me. I mean, did Emily really find you that worthless to just let you go like that? I figured it would take more than just a picture that didn't even prove anything. She really must not have trusted you in the first place" She smiled at me tauntingly.

"You're asking for it Chelsea" I glared at her, readying myself for the first punch.

"Ha! Please Paige, you're only gonna make things worse for yourself. Fight me and no one will ever believe you. You have nothing in Rosewood anymore, you might as well just leave. Emily _hates _you. And if you try and fight me—" I charged at her, knocking her to the ground and punching her repeatedly.

I felt Megan yank me off of her and now we were both standing. I wasted no time in throwing myself at her, placing a good right hook to her face which she countered with an equally hard punch to my jaw. We continued fighting like this, taking turns, neither one of us getting the upper hand. Chelsea had stood up just as I was about to knock Megan to the ground and I felt another good hit to the side of my face. My right hand was already screwed from punching the bench yesterday but I saw through the pain for now. Adrenaline had blocked out any source of pain, all I wanted right now was to cause as much damage as possible to these girls. I became momentarily aware of the cheers and the crowd around us but I paid no attention to them for now.

I wasn't much of a match for the both of them. I was still standing but I was taking punches left and right, while only countering a few. Finally, I got a good hit in on Chelsea, knocking her back. I was about to throw myself towards Megan when I heard a voice behind me.

"Enough" it was Coach Fulton. _Well there goes my chances of a _scholarship, I thought to myself. "Would someone like to explain to me why my swim team is fighting?"

Chelsea was brave enough to answer. "You wanna really know what's going on?" Chelsea called, loud enough for the crowd of students to hear. "Why don't you tell them, Paige? Why don't you tell Rosewood High what you were doing on Friday night at Sills Park?" That little hint right there was enough to destroy my reputation at this school. Just when it seemed life in Rosewood couldn't get any worse, now every student at Rosewood High was going to think I was responsible for the memorial vandalism. I heard gasps and shrieks throughout the crowd around us, making it obvious that everyone had heard, and everyone was thinking out it. The rumors wouldn't take long to spread.

"She's lying!" I yelled back. "She's the one who did it! I didn't even know Allison!" I defended. My voice sounded weak but I had to try.

Megan laughed. "Yeah right! Nice try but blaming us isn't going to work." I wanted to charge them again but Coach Fulton had stepped between us.

"That's enough!" Coach Fulton warned again. "Clear out everyone. Paige, Chelsea, Megan, My office. Now." She was surprisingly calm considering what had just happened. Realistically, all three of us should be suspended from school as well as any extra-curricular.

She stood between us as we all walked to her office in complete silence. She motioned for us to enter and shut the door behind her, walking to her desk and pulling out her chair for me to sit in. I supposed that she at least wanted a physical barrier between me and them just in case things got heated again. Coach Fulton walked to the mini fridge in her office, pulling out some ice and towels, handing each of us our own set.

I wiped the blood from my nose which was bleeding pretty badly at this point. I also had a nicely swollen right eye and a small cut on my lip. My nose was easily the worst damage I took.

Chelsea had a pretty severe gash under her eye that was bleeding and Megan was just a little black and blue. I probably looked the worst out of the three of us but I really didn't care. If Fulton hadn't have stepped in, I think I would have won that fight.

"Alright." Coach Fulton got our attention. "I could waste my time yelling about how disappointed I am in each of you but quite frankly I think you all know what you did was wrong. I told you that this team did not need any tension this year and now you're fighting each other like a bunch of freshmen boys! I don't expect you three to be best friends , in fact, I think it would be best if you avoided each other as much as possible." Coach Fulton scolded.

"Coach, do you know what sh—" Megan tried to say.

"I don't care why you three were fighting I just want you to tell me it's not going to happen again. Understand?" She asked.

We all nodded quickly. I couldn't believe we were actually getting off the hook for this. It must have been because of what Coach Fulton had seen of me earlier. She must have suspected it had something to do with my bad behavior before.

"I really can't afford to have you three at each other's throats right now. We're doing good and I can't have any one of you kicked off the team. " She looked at me subtly as she said that.

It clicked. She couldn't afford to have me sitting out, hence the reason none of us could get in trouble. By not getting them in trouble either, she was saving me from a suspension. Not because she liked me. Coach didn't play favorites. It was because, like any other coach, Fulton had to think about the team.

Wow. Not even my own swimming coach who seemed very fond of me had the dignity to spare me for personal reasons.

"Can we go now?" Chelsea asked expectantly.

Coach Fulton nodded. "That's fine. Please be ready for the meet tomorrow. All of you." I hastily stood up, brushing passed Chelsea and Megan out the door before Coach Fulton could stop me and ask more questions. I booked it to my car, driving home in a haze of tears and anger. When I got to my apartment I wasted no time in changing into my workout gear and heading out for a run.

By now, the whole school must have found out about the fight, and what Chelsea and Megan had accused me of. I pretty much had no means of making new friends in Rosewood now. Not with a rumor like that spreading around. I sprinted harder and faster than ever, pushing myself to limits just as I had in the pool today at lunch. If there was one good thing about this breakup, it really pushed me hard physically. It felt almost good to feel the burn in my muscles and lungs.

I felt my tears falling as I ran through the woods but it only pushed me harder. If I let myself fall into an emotional mess, I don't think I could get myself out alone. I had to push away the feeling or I would turn into a vegetable. So instead I let myself think about Chelsea and Megan. I let myself channel all my hate into them. Being angry at them was easy. It didn't hurt me as much to thing that they hated me, in comparison to the gut wrenching feelings of knowing Emily, Spencer, Hanna and Aria hated me. Being angry at them was hard, because the anger came from a deeper feeling of hurt. I didn't want to think about Emily hating me. So instead I didn't think, I just kept running.

**Emily's POV-**

Seeing Paige at lunch today was the worst. Of course my weekend was awful, I spent pretty much the entire time crying and listening to my friends bitch about how shocking it was and how awful of a person Paige was. The worst part was, I wanted nothing more than to disagree, to tell them they were wrong. But I couldn't do that. Paige had done something I couldn't even begin to think about. Some part of me still questioned whether or not she did it, but when I thought about it logically, I knew it was the only explanation. I wanted to ask her how she could do that. I wished I could figure out how I had pushed her so far as to make her do something she must have regretted. Spencer wouldn't have it though. Every time I thought about calling her, Spencer reasoned with me not to. I just needed to know how we could go from being so in love to being so separated in the matter of one night. Why hadn't I seen any signs that Paige would be so temperamental?

My friends were also hurt by Paige, even if not at the same heartbreaking level that I was. They had worked on Allison's memorial too, they were Allison's best friends as well. The attack on the memorial was an attack on Rosewood. If the community found out that Paige had done it I could honestly say I don't know what would happen to her. At first, Spencer had tried to encourage me to send the unknown picture to the cops. I told her I physically couldn't do it. As much as I didn't want to care, I still loved Paige, and that's what made this so unbearably hard on me. I wished I could hate her as much as she apparently hated Allison and quite possibly at this point, me. Spencer had let the whole 'tell the cops' thing go after she had suggested it and I bawled and bawled for hours. They all promised not to mention that again.

I knew why Spencer was being so cut throat with Paige. Paige was the one person she had let in to our lives rather easily. She was usually undeniably suspicious of anybody outside of the four of us, almost enough to scare anybody new away. But she treated Paige differently, letting her be a part of our lives and even becoming her good friend. This was a betrayal on her as well, and she would have liked to handle it with taking her down because she didn't feel the heartbreak in the way that I did. For Spencer, she had been betrayed because of her 'poor judgement' and that probably pissed her off more than anything else right now.

I successfully made it through Monday with only the one glance at Paige. I was walking back to my car with Aria when I saw the crowd by the lot, lots of cheering and people running that way.

"Dude I heard Paige McCullers called out Megan and Chelsea! That chicks gonna get her ass kicked if she's alone!" Some kid yelled and he along with his his group of friends began running towards the growing circle.

I looked at Aria in shock and she took my hand, pulling me towards the brawl. She pushed and shoved her way through the crowd which in any other situation would have been hilarious but right now I was just trying to see what exactly was happening. By the time we made it to the front Coach Fulton had broken up the fight.

"Clear out everyone!" I heard Coach Fulton yell. I drowned out the rest of what she was saying as I looked at Paige. She was looking down, obviously too worked up to notice I had shown up to witness the fight. She looked awful. Her nose was a bloody mess, her shirt now soaked in the red liquid. She was a complete mess and I yearned to go and comfort her momentarily. _Just old feelings_, I reminded myself. I wasn't supposed to care about her anymore but seeing her hurt brought out my protective side for her, and I just wished she had another person to stand up for her. The confusion I felt for Paige right now was too much to deal with.

"Do you actually think Chelsea was right?" I heard someone whisper.

"Paige McCullers did that? Probably! Did you see how angry that chick was, probably thought about Emily's friendship with Allison and got jealous" someone answered. "That girl obviously has some sort of anger problem."

"Well you won't catch me pissing her off" another voice replied.

I focused on the whispers around me. _So that's what the fight was about. _They were fighting about Allison's memorial? From what I was hearing around me, Paige had insinuated that Chelsea and Megan destroyed the memorial and they retaliated by blaming her. That escalated into a few fists being thrown and that was that. Now, everyone was assuming Paige had done it, because like me, it had made sense to them. _So me and my friends weren't the only ones who saw the evidence_.

This situation was only getting worse, and I couldn't have Paige fighting with people just because she felt alone. It wasn't helping her case in any way and it wasn't good for me either. I watching her walking towards the Natatorium with Coach Fulton, Megan and Chelsea and I hoped that Coach Fulton would give them a second chance for the sake of the swim team. Other than that I really didn't know what to think of the fight. It was nothing I hadn't known before; Paige had a temper problem, Paige had destroyed the memorial bench. But now it seemed like the entire school would know that. What did that mean for Paige? I had to remind myself that I wasn't supposed to care.

I woke up the next morning groggy and lonely. Despite my best efforts, Paige was still on my mind. Why couldn't she have just made it easy for us? This one thing destroyed our relationship and now I was left to pick up the pieces of myself. What was she doing? Fighting with people, being her usual angry self. I psyched myself out, becoming angry at Paige for what she did. Honestly, being mad at her made it easier to forget the heartbreak I really felt. It wasn't fair, she wasn't allowed to do this to me and then just get away with it.

The rest of the day went much the same way. Every time I saw Paige I just let myself be angry rather than upset and it helped. I didn't need to think about _how could she or why did she? _Instead I focused on the fact that she did, and there was no way she could take it back.

The final bell rang, and I rushed to the bus headed for Oakwood. The Red Devils were a particularly tough team and I needed to be my best tonight. I knew realistically that wouldn't happen but I tried to remain focused anyways. As I boarded the bus I noticed Paige sitting by the window alone. She looked particularly depressed today, leaning her head against the window with her hands pressed to her temples. She had an almost-pout look and her eyes were cast downwards. I shrugged and remembered that she didn't deserve my sympathy. But I couldn't keep away the vision where I pulled her into my arms and told her that I was there for her. The moment where she looked at me with tears threatening to spill over. I would have just held her, told her that I loved her and that everything would be ok.

_Nope, not anymore Paige, you blew it._ I found it kind of annoying that I had to keep telling myself that but I knew that when I fully looked at Paige, it wasn't the girl I fell in love with. It was a girl who had lied, betrayed and broke my heart. That fact is what kept me walking by, ignoring her sadness. I sat a few seats behind her with the rest of the team. We usually all sat in a cluster near the back of the bus but Paige had planted herself closer the front, obviously meaning she wanted to be alone. _Good_. I wouldn't have to bear the awkward moment where we hung out together for the first time. I didn't want to speak with her because I knew it would bring back the pain that I finally was beginning to ignore.

I kept stealing glances at her as more girls from the swim team filled the bus. I was watching her look out the window blankly when a group of boys walked by the bus. They looked like juniors, obviously not the type that hung around school much based on the fact that I didn't recognise a single one of them, and from their boisterousness they were obviously looking to cause problems. They looked up at the bus and pointed at Paige, laughing to each other. Paige just stared them down, silently challenging them I supposed. They raised their fists and began mock punching each other tauntingly. A look of hurt crossed Paige's features. I yearned for her again but I forced myself to stay seated. The boys laughed yet again and their triumph and then I heard their muffled shouts through the bus "calm down there killer! Don't be so upset! We won't like you when you're angry right?" they laughed again and began walking away. One kid, a muscular boy wearing a wife beater and a blue hoodie spat at Paige's window as they walked away. The large wad of spit landed directly on the window where Paige's cheek was resting. I could hear the fading howls of laughter as the group of boys walked away.

Now, I understood why they wouldn't like Paige. The rumor about Paige's involvement in the vandalism at Sills park had spread like wildfire through the school today and even the worst of kids at Rosewood High disliked Paige now. But to spit at her seemed awful, even in my mind. It seemed so disrespectful, made Paige look like she was nothing, like no one cared about her. _She brought it on herself_, I tried to remind myself. No, still nobody deserved _that _kind of treatment.

I looked at Paige. She was staring at the gob of spit on the window distantly. "I guess that's what I am to people" I heard her whisper to herself. I saw the tears welling up in her eyes and I could hear the choked whimpers as she began to cry. Her hands were now clasped together and I noticed her digging her nails into her skin roughly.

I could have gone up to her, sat with her and told her that people will still care about her. It probably would have saved her from herself. But instead I turned back to the rest of the girls who were chattering excitedly and hadn't even noticed the spit on Paige's window. _Why can't I ignore her as easily as everyone else can? _

The Oakville Red Devils were my least favorite to compete against. They were cocky, rude, and most of the girls on the team were pretty sketchy. I remembered a few of them from last year introducing them to us and inviting us to a party. A few of the sharks girls went and said that it was on a sketchy side of town and there was a lot of drug use and black-out drunk girls. A couple of the girls tried to fight each other and all in all the night had not ended well. From that situation this team has been the most disliked, becoming our rivals of sorts. I wanted to win today, I really needed a win more than anything right now.

"I don't think I can anchor today coach. I'm sorry" I overheard Paige explaining to Coach Fulton as we began our warm-ups at the rival teams pool.

"Paige? You've been excelling so much lately, this isn't like you to ask for a downgrade" Coach Fulton stated.

Paige looked torn apart. It was from the crying on the bus, which she had done pretty much the entire way to Oakwood. "I know" Paige replied. "Look today's just been… I mean look at me." Paige choked out. She was right. She looked beaten and battered physically and her eyes reflected the same emotionally.

"Paige. You're going to anchor the races I put you as anchor for. You've worked so hard last week and you're not backing out of this competition now just because you're… going through some things. I've seen how you channel your emotions into your swimming, you can do this" Coach Fulton explained. Coach Fulton could be a complete hard ass sometimes but I had experienced the soft side she was trying to show Paige.

Paige looked down and sighed. "Fine." She looked back up and her expression had gone from upset to angry. "I guess Rosewood already hates me so who gives a shit if I screw up right?" Paige stormed off in a fury. Coach Fulton looked appalled at Paige's behavior. She was normally completely respectful and polite to Coach Fulton, swearing and talking back wasn't something that Paige did to any adult that I had ever seen.

I looked away, pretending like I wasn't listening to their discussion as Coach Fulton approached me. "Emily can I speak with you for a moment?"

_Here comes the questions_. Of course Coach Fulton would come to me to discover why Paige was being so unlike her usual self. "Uh.. sure." I stuttered.

She pulled me aside from the warm-ups, out of hearing range of the team. "I shouldn't have to ask" Coach Fulton stated.

"I don't know what you want me to say, coach." I replied. I didn't want to answer questions. She just looked at me expectantly, "We broke up"

Coach Fulton rolled her eyes. "Well I had that part figured out. I'm not asking for details, but could this have something to do with that rumor going about the school?"

I looked down. "Are we talking about why we broke up or why Paige is acting this way?" I asked.

Coach Fulton looked at me as if trying to get me to find a question I couldn't weasel my way out of. "I'm pretty sure Paige wouldn't be acting this way if you hadn't broke up, but that's not my business. I just want to know why Paige suddenly has people whispering at her. Why she's getting into fights and no one is defending her. Why she is crying and angry all of the time." Coach Fulton looked at me, waiting for a response.

This frustrated me. It was hard enough see Paige like this but then for Coach Fulton to scold me for _my _behaviour? "You're right. It's not your business. And it's not really mine either anymore, Coach. If you're worried about Paige I think you should be talking to her." I was annoyed now. This wasn't supposed to be my problem but even Coach Fulton was questioning me about the rumor.

"Well if this rumor has torn you apart then I can assume for myself why she is so angry" Coach Fulton suggested.

"If you're asking me about the rumor, I'd rather not talk about it. I think it's pretty obvious what happened, why Paige is _really _so angry" I disagreed.

Coach Fulton considered my answer. "I wasn't asking about the rumor. I'm a pretty good judge of character, Emily. I think Paige is very lonely, and for the wrong reasons. You should consider talking to her, because as much as you're hurting, I think you have no idea how _betrayed _she really feels." With that Coach Fulton turned and walked back to the team, beginning her instructions for the competition.

So Coach Fulton had heard about the rumors and hadn't believed them. Strange, everyone else hadn't thought for a second that it might have been a set up, but Coach Fulton didn't buy the story going around school. _If she would have seen the picture_. Coach Fulton was looking at it the complete wrong way, she thought that Paige was upset about the break up, feeling betrayed. The truth was that I was the betrayed one, I just had people to pick me up after the fall. _Paige didn't. _Is that what Coach Fulton was trying to tell me? That I should be there for Paige? I couldn't do that, as much as seeing a different side of Paige was confusing for me, I couldn't help her anymore.

**Paige's POV-**

Megan touched the wall and I dove in overtop of her. I didn't focus on my swimming as I anchored the relay. Instead, I thought about everything that pissed me off today. I imagined what would happen if people knew the truth, that I was completely innocent. How different would things be if my timing was a little bit different that night. I wouldn't have a fucked up hand, face, and heart. I wouldn't be swimming this race thinking about how much I hated the world right now. Before I knew it I had touched the wall, effectively winning the race for the Rosewood Sharks. If it were different, my whole team would have pulled me from the water and congratulated me with hugs and squeals. Instead I had to pull myself out of the water as the rest of the team was hugging and giving high fives to each other, I just awkwardly stood there, no one even bothering to smile my direction. _How perfect_.

This moment, of being totally ignored despite an amazing leg, probably my personal best in fact, made me ultimately decide that Rosewood High was the worst thing that had ever happened to me. I wished I had never been exiled to this stupid school in the first place. It was the small town attitude, everyone knows everybody else's business and people gossip. Oh how people love to spread rumors. My own girlfriend (_ex-girlfriend) _Was a complete hypocrite. Her and her friends thought it was ridiculous that I was mad after the entire 'Jenna Thing' was brought up but then when a rumor about me starts, they suddenly hate me. I was suddenly the worst person in the world and wasn't even given a fraction of a second to talk. _Fuck that_. I was done with Rosewood.

The team had headed for the change room, leaving me by myself standing by the rival pool. I couldn't go in there and listen to how excited they were from the win when they wouldn't even offer me a congratulatory smile.

"Paige?" I looked up to see Coach Fulton looking at me with a mixture of pride and genuine worry. "Great job out there, sweetie. You set yet another PB."

"I quit" I replied. Coach Fulton looked at me questioningly and as if the words hadn't exactly sunk in.

"I'm sorry?" She asked.

I rolled my eyes. "I said, I quit" I pronounced each word slowly, hoping that she understood.

Her eyes bulged as she comprehended my statement. "Paige? You can't be serious. You're the best thing this team has seen since…"

"Emily" I finished. I was daggers to speak her name but I ignored that feeling for now. "Yeah, well I'm not sticking around in a town that hates me, swimming scholarship or not."

Coach Fulton was lost for words. "Are—are you leaving Rosewood?" She asked.

I rubbed my temples. "What's with the 20 questions? I don't know what I'm doing but it's pretty clear I'm not welcome here anymore. This place is prison."

"Please Paige. Just talk to me. I know you think everyone hates you right now but… look, us teachers aren't deaf to what the students are talking about. I heard about the rumors and Paige I know you wouldn't have done that." She looked at me honestly and I could tell her genuinely thought that I was innocent. One person had actually seen the truth. My eyes began welling up and I swallowed hard to keep myself from crying.

"Why can't anyone else see it?" I whispered. I closed my eyes, trying to push that awful feeling away.

"Running away won't change this Paige. You should stay in Rosewood, be strong, show people that they're wrong because they will realise it eventually. Emily will see it" Fulton reasoned.

"How do you know?" I asked.

Coach Fulton smiled at me, "Because when you're not looking, she's watching you with that concerned look of hers. Paige you might not see it but she's struggling with this too. Eventually she will talk to you"

I thought about that for a moment. I wished Emily had known the truth, but more than that, I wished she woulnd't have believed that I could do that in the first place. I was pissed that she thought I was capable of that and right now, after the day I had, Emily didn't deserve to know the truth. "I don't want somebody back who could even think I would be capable of that. Emily can stay out of my life" I answered.

"I still think you should stay in Rosewood. Finish the year here Paige, get your scholarship and start fresh. You'll only regret leaving, I know you, you wouldn't let these people win."

Coach Fulton had me there. She played to my competitive side and she was right. I wouldn't let the kids of Rosewood High beat me. I was going to stay her, be strong as ever, be the best swimmer I could be so I could stick it to them. And if the truth did come out that I was innocent, Rosewood High could shove it.

"I'll stay." I agreed. Coach Fulton smiled at me nicely before wondering out the doors of the Red Devils natatorium to board the bus.

I dried myself off as best as possible before throwing my track suit over my racing outfit. I was about to leave when I heard someone approaching me.

"Excuse me?" I turned to see a toned, pretty girl with dark hair and a dark complexion. She was wearing a Red Devils Swim Team tracksuit and I immediately recognised her as one of my opponents from the meet. "Hi. I'm Shana. I just wanted to say I was _really_ impressed with your swimming tonight. I mean you kicked our asses! And to boot you look like you just got jumped. I wonder how well you perform when you're at your best" she looked at my bruised face and then down at the hand that I was holding to my chest.

I smiled at her. She seemed nice even though she looked a little cocky and rough around the edges. Even from her stance and the way she was brave enough to approach me I had a feeling this girl was trouble. "That's what I do." I replied.

She smirked at me, "Normally I'd be pretty pissed about the beating we took from the Sharks but you don't seem like your teammates…" She lead off expectantly.

"Paige." I answered. "And I'm nothing like those girls" I finished. My voice was convicting.

"Good." Shana said. "Anyway I just thought I'd introduce myself and see if maybe you wanted to come to this party in Oakwood on Friday. It's at my house and it's gonna be huge! I'll give you my number and if you decide you want to come I can text you the address."

I looked at her and thought for a moment. I could actually use a party, especially one where I wouldn't run into any Rosewood High students. Oakwood was known to be a pretty sketchy school but I really didn't care that much about that. If I was going to be sticking around Rosewood I might as well find another group of friends to make the rest of the year pass.

"Sure, here's my phone, put your number in and text yourself so you have mine" I gave her my phone.

She looked at it and laughed. "Wow. Are you popular or what? 12 missed calls from some girl named Kelly? Do you like to leave a girl hanging or what?" She joked.

I laughed at her insinuation. "Only a friend."

Shana smiled flirtatiously at me, "That's a good thing." I smiled back, but not with the same effort that Shana was. I really could care less about this girl but she had extended a good invitation to get my mind off of Emily and how much Rosewood sucked. She handed back my phone.

"Thanks. I'm looking forward to Friday." I said genuinely.

"Good. Don't extend the invitation to anyone else at Rosewood though. I just thought you seemed like the only interesting one, mostly because you look like you hate those girls."

"Only as much as they hate me" I replied.

Shana shrugged. "Oh, by the way I hope you like to party. Bring your choice of poison… liquor, beer, weed, whatever you want."

"Sounds good" I answered simply. The old me would never have considered getting smashed at an unfamiliar place with nobody I really knew but the way things were going for me this week, it might just happen.

I turned to walk away and noticed Emily was staring at us with an expression filled with rage. I scoffed at her and continued towards the bus.

"You gotta problem Fields?" I heard Shana call.

"Yeah. Stay away from my teammates! They don't need you to bring them down like the last time. You're nothing but trouble, back off!" Emily said.

I stood and watched curiously. Was Emily actually trying to keep Shana away from me? _What the hell?_

"Please! I was extending a curtsey to Paige. I mean, I wasn't going to let a pretty girl like her be ignored." Shana answered.

"Fine." Emily relented. "But _she_ should know you're nothing but a problem." Emily was looking at Shana but I know she wanted me to hear that. "I've heard the stories about you" Emily accused.

That ignited a fire in me, "We all know how you like your _stories_ Emily" I called. I turned and walked out the door before I could catch a glimpse of her expression. I didn't know what she would make of my remark but I didn't really care either. Emily probably just didn't want to see me happy and I figured the first chance she got, she would tell Shana about what I 'did'. I didn't want to be around to hear Emily's version of that night.

I sat on the bus in the same seat as before, near the front. I could hear the rest of the team chattering excitedly behind me, bursting with energy from beating a rival team. I wasn't included but really, who gives. I watched as Emily boarded the bus, looking beyond frustrated.

She looked at me and I glared back. I wasn't going to deal with this right now. "I'm only doing this because it might just save your life" Emily stated. "That girl is trouble, Paige. She'll drag you down."

"Like you even care" I scoffed. "You don't get to decide who I hang out with, Emily."

"Just trying to give you one last shred of help, Paige. I suggest you take it before she gets you arrested…or worse."

"Just go, Emily." I mocked. It was the same words she said to me Friday night when I was trying to explain myself. Emily looked completely hurt by the words but I couldn't bring myself to care right now. I had experienced way to much hurt and anger today to add another reason to cry to the list.

Emily walked passed me slowly, almost like she was thinking about saying or doing something but had decided against it. I felt my phone vibrate so I checked to see that I had a text message from Shana.

**I think Emily might be a little jealous? ) –Shana**

**Srry about her. Don't worry I don't listen to gossip –Paige**

**Glad to hear it, neither do I ;) and even if certain gossip is true, I really don't care – Shana**

I had to make a decision. I could take Emily's advice and judgment of Shana which quite frankly she seemed right about. Or I could be Shana's friend and maybe make something of the rest of my year in Rosewood. It seemed like she was the only person that didn't care either way about what happened, so why not give her a chance. A little party never killed nobody, right?

**I think I need a person like that in my life right now so text me your address, ill see you friday –Paige**


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N- Here's the next update, sorry it took longer than usual this chapter was so difficult to write! This chapter is probably the worst thing that ever happened to me so I'm glad its over. **

**Thank you thank you thank you to everyone who is reading this and liking it. Thanks to everyone who's been giving feedback its been helping a lot. As usually any suggestions or critique is always appretiated. **

**I'm also just going to say this absolutely isn't the strongest chapter, especially compared to the last few. Like seriously I hate this chapter and I wrote the stupid thing. But it's setting up for bigger and better things so here it is.**

**Emily's POV-**

"I told you mom! Paige and I… we just couldn't work anymore" I explained to my mom after she had asked exactly why we had broken up for the millionth time. I had explained to her on Saturday that things ended and she was more than shocked. On top of that I could see it had upset her that Paige would no longer be around. Paige had really grown on my mom in the past few months which was more than I could have ever had asked for. As if it wasn't hard enough to deal with what happened, my mom asking questions and being visibly upset with the whole break up was getting on my nerves. I just wanted to forget about the whole thing because it was easier than dealing.

"Emily. I've heard you crying yourself to sleep every night for the past week! You've barely come out of your room and honestly… and I'm saying this with the most motherly love but you look awful. And I saw Paige at the Brew this morning and she looked… well worse than you." My mom explained.

I stared blankly for a minute. "Did she talk to you?" I asked.

My mom shook her head. "I tried to talk to her but she just told me she 'couldn't deal with this' and stormed off. I need some answers Emily. I can't have you tw—" my mom stopped herself. "I can't have _you _acting like this when I don't even know what happened." My mom looked at me pleadingly.

I honestly didn't know what to tell her. "Mom I'm trying to deal alright? It was just… a bad breakup but I think we're both moving on" It was a shameful lie and my mom completely didn't buy it.

"does this having something to do with last Friday night… you know? Allison's memorial?" My mom asked hesitantly.

I winced. It still shocked me at how perceptive my mom was. When I thought about it I probably would have eventually made the same assumption as she did. The timing was too perfect. Allison's memorial did get destroyed the same night that I broke up with Paige. Even if it wasn't the truth I could see why my mother would assume that.

"I don't want to talk about it!" I yelled.

My mom let out a huff. "You don't have much of a choice Emily because right now I'm assuming the worst!"

I let my tears fall a little bit. "Fine! She is responsible for it okay? Is that what you wanted to hear? Me and my perfect girlfriend got in a fight and she got angry and ruined my _best friend's _memorial!" I was completely sobbing now.

My mom stared at me deeply for a moment, as if trying to figure out what to say. "Are you sure?" She finally whispered. I just nodded my head. "Emily are you absolutely sure? Did Paige actually admit this to you?" she asked.

I calmed myself down in order to talk. "She's still denying it. But I'm sure" I whispered.

"I think you should talk to Paige." My mom said.

I looked at her in shock. Was she even on my side in this? "Mom? Did you hear me? she destroyed Allison's memorial. Despite the obvious reasons of the wrongness of that, Allison was my best friend and I put so much love and effort into that."

My mom smiled sadly at me. "Emily. Whether Paige did that or not she's obviously going through something" My mom said compassionately. It was her motherly way of trying to get me to look at what happened objectively.

"You don't think she did it" I stated. I knew my mom and if she had thought Paige had done it she would have pushed me to get her arrested.

My mom looked at me very carefully. "I'm sorry Emily I just can't see it. Paige… I may not have known her as well as you do but Paige would never have done something like that… and if she's denied it. And seeing her so upset and angry today I guess it all kind of adds up. I think you need to talk to her."

"Mom!" I yelled. "she has a temper. She's been mad before! So mad that she walks away to calm down. Last Friday she walked away and…" I trailed off in anger.

My mom shook her head insistently. "Emily you have been known for a bit of a temper yourself. Or what about Spencer? If she walks away before saying or doing things in the moment than she's already got points on Spencer." My mom half joked.

"What's your point?" I asked frustrated. She wasn't making any sense.

"My point it… would you ever do anything like that? No. would Spencer ever do anything like that? No. The point is… whatever happened to Allison's memorial, it would take a pretty sick person to do such a thing, and then deny it. Paige may have been angry, but she's a very stable girl. At least she was… look I'm not saying you need to believe what I'm telling you. I just think you might get more answers by talking to her."

I hated how logical my mom made it sound. It was almost easy to believe that I was wrong and Paige was innocent. It got me thinking about that night in close detail. It was so hard because everything added up to Paige being responsible. Her hand, the picture, our fight. Who else would have the motivation to do something like that?

I made it through school today relatively easily. I hadn't seen Paige all day so I assumed she was sticking to her lunch time pool swims. It made sense seeing as most of the school didn't want her around anyways. Part of me was sad for her because she really had no one in Rosewood. I could only hope for her mental well being that she confided in Kelly.

Swim practice was brutal today, pure conditioning which was kicking my butt. I normally was decent when it came to these drills but my mind had been so distracted and so exhausted this week I was falling behind. I looked over at Paige who was completely focused on the drill, executing the movements perfectly and pushing harder than I'd ever seen her go before. I was almost scary how aggressive she looked in the pool, but also partly sexy. _I couldn't help myself_. It was those same old feelings trying to break through again. Just because we broke up didn't mean she wasn't physically attractive anymore.

After practice I was completely exhausted both mentally and physically. Doing so poorly today made me feel like shit and I was just ready to go home and have a lazy Friday night. I was the last person out of the change room due to my sluggishness and as I was about to leave the natatorium I noticed Paige leaving Coach Fulton's office with slightly red eyes like she might have recently been crying. She looked angry as hell still but I had been watching her so closely these past couple of days that I saw through it.

I realised my mom was right. Not about her being innocent but about having to talk to her like an adult. We couldn't keep going on this way all tears and anger. We needed closure in whatever form it came.

"Paige?" I called. She looked at me in confusion at first and then glared menacingly at me. "Can we talk for a minute?" I asked nervously.

"No" her voice was cold and detached. It hurt that she couldn't even string together some sarcastic remark or even an excuse. Instead she just flat out rejected my request.

It was pretty frustrating. "5 minutes Paige." She closed her eyes and rubbed her temples.

"Emily I can't play this game with you. I don't want to play this game with you. You think I did it. I actually didn't. I honestly don't give a shit why or how it make sense in your mind that I would ever do that period, but I don't want to talk about why I did something I actually _didn't _do." Her voice was that same detached and cold tone and it pained me that she was this livid.

"What if I let you explain?" I asked. That would make sense. If she just explained her side of things that night maybe I could finally get some closure.

It was the wrong question. Paige visibly shook with anger. "I don't have anything to explain Emily!" She yelled. "I've told you what really happened and you don't believe me! end of story! We're done here, it's a Friday night and I'm going to hang out with people that actually don't judge me like you fucking Rosewood kids!" She glared at me and it was obvious she was trying to upset me enough to let her leave.

Who would Paige be hanging out with like this? I knew her well enough to know that she would not have yet confided in Kelly, especially with this kind of anger. Then I remembered Shana's invitation. I felt a knot in my throat as I remembered who Shana was and the people she hung out with. Oakwood High had the worst reputation when it came to partying, drugs and petty crime. Shana was no exception. She was nothing but a typical Oakwood party girl who brought down anyone who hung around with her. I hated the fact that she had talked to Paige after the meet. It didn't help my feelings that I knew for a fact that Shana was gay. _Out of all of the others people Paige could get into trouble with she had to find the only other gay swimmer in the area? _It wasn't that I was jealous, it just bugged me.

Paige would no doubt be sucked into Shana's life if nobody warned her. "Shana?" I asked expectantly. "she's not your friend Paige. She's bad news. Don't go to that party tonight. Its gonna get busted and you're just going to get yourself in more trouble" I warned.

Paige's tears began to fall and I registered that my own were now freely falling as well. "You don't get to do that Emily. You don't get to call me a monster and then pretend like you care all the sudden. I hope you realise that I didn't do it. I hope you open your fucking eyes and see that I did nothing but take a walk so I could clear my head that night so I could work things out with you. Because I loved you. I've done nothing but love you and you just stomped on me because of some blurry picture and didn't even give me a chance to defend myself!" Paige's voice continued to rise. "I hope you realise all of that and I hope it breaks your heart the way you broke mine. Because when you do realise that, you're also gonna realise there's no way in hell I would forgive you for thinking I would ever do that!"

Her outburst surprised me. I was at a loss for what to say in response. I stared at her open mouthed for a long time before she began to walk away. I caught her arm and she turned on me, gripping my hand and pulling it away. What surprised me was that even though she was fuming, her touch was so gentle on me, as if the last thing on her mind was to hurt me physically.

"my heart's already broken Paige. I want to believe you but I just… _can't" _my voice broke.

Paige backed away from me. "You have no idea how I feel then. Guess I should just get used to the people who are supposed to love me not giving a shit. I should have known better." Paige turned and walked out of the natatorium. I calmed myself down for a moment and when I looked up I saw Coach Fulton standing there, shaking her head slightly at me before walking back to her office.

_What did that mean?_

**Paige's POV-**

I bolted it for my car before someone else could stop me. Coach Fulton had asked me to come in to her office after today's conditioning practice. She congratulated me on my efforts and then went on to ask how I really was. After letting out my anger in the practice I really felt like I had nothing left. So I broke down in sobs, right in front of my coach. I felt so awful and Coach Fulton said she was going to _do what she could for me._ I wasn't sure exactly what that meant but I thanked her for just letting me cry and left the office.

Of course, because my fate in Rosewood was so damned I ran in to Emily. My outburst couldn't be controlled after letting it all out with Coach Fulton so I just let her have it. When she grabbed my arm as I was walking away I felt that feeling deep within me. That feeling, the yearn for her touch that I had missed in the past week. I shrugged it off and bolted from the natatorium the next chance I got.

She pissed me off so much. At this point I could really care less if she had found out the truth or not, the damage had already been done. The fact that she could think I would do that in the first place was enough to permanently ruin our relationship the way I saw it. I really couldn't see myself being with her again if she thought that I would be that cruel. Part of me was angry (the part that I showed everybody) but mostly I was sad. Sad that no matter how open I was with Emily, which was such a hard thing for me to do, she still couldn't find it in herself to trust me. _What did that say about me?_ Who cares. I was just ready to drink tonight.

It was around 10 when I arrived at Shana's and the party was already in full swing. There were probably 100 people crowded in the small home and it looked like mostly everyone was intoxicated.

"Paige" Shana smiled sweetly at me, obviously already a little buzzed. "Glad you made it tonight girl! You didn't bring anybody did you?"

I laughed. "Who would I bring?"

Shana looked me up and down, "Well, I was just making sure you and Emily hadn't made amends or something."

"Emily really isn't my problem anymore" I said quickly. She was the last thing I wanted to think about right now.

"Sounds like you could use a drink. Come on, I'll get you hooked up." I picked up on Shana's flirting but just ignored it. Sure Shana was hot and I could probably use a rebound but I didn't really feel ready for that yet.

I followed her into the packed kitchen and she handed me a bottle of beer from the fridge. "Help yourself to anything in there Paige. There's no shortage of alcohol tonight"

I took a good swig of my beer, "Thanks" She took my hand and let me through the crowd of people. I was a little overwhelmed at the size of this party. Even the party's in the city seemed a little more tame than this one. It was obvious Shana didn't care but the house was going to be trashed in the morning. I shrugged to myself and took another gulp of my drink, I needed to forget my worries.

"You know, purple is a really nice color on you Paige" Shana pointed at my bruised cheek from my fight with Chelsea and Megan.

"You should see the other girl" I joked back lamely.

Shana laughed, "I saw the other _girls_. All I'm saying is that I don't think I ever wanna get on your bad side"

"I've been getting that a lot lately" I joked back cryptically.

Shana's eyes narrowed as she processed what I meant. "Oh yeah, I guess so eh? Oh well, whoever did that to Allisons bench deserves a high five in my book. That girl was a manipulating bitch" I really appreciated how Shana never mentioned whether or not she thought I had done it. She made it clear that either way she didn't care and that made me really like her. Who cares what Emily says, Shana seemed like a decent person, at least she didn't make assumptions.

I pulled a half empty bottle of tequila out of my bag that Hanna had left from one of our girls nights and offered it to Shana. "How about some shots?" I offered.

Shana smirked at me, "You really came to drink tonight didn't you?" I nodded eagerly before taking a good chug of tequila from the bottle. "Wait a second there's gotta be some lime and salt somewhere around here, let's do this the right way" Shana pulled the bottle from my hands and flitted around the kitchen retrieving shot glasses, a hand full of lime wedges and a salt shaker.

We did our shots and soon people were circled around us cheering as we downed shot after shot. Before I knew it the bottle was empty and I was more than sloshed. I drifted around the place, talking with random people, really not aware of what I was saying. I saw no familiar faces but I shrugged it off and got along just fine. I noticed Shana sitting on the couch with a group of people who smelled like cigars and weed. I went and sat down with them and noticed that's exactly what they were doing. One guy passed the joint to Shana and she took it eagerly. I watched, impressed as she took a drag and passed it to me, looking at me expectantly.

It wasn't that I had never tried weed before a few times , but I had promised to myself that I wouldn't do it anymore as my training for swimming intensified. I hadn't really missed it although sometimes that extra release was nice. Tonight, at this point in my life I decided I could definitely use that release. I took the joint, inhaling and coughing a few times from the smoke. I wasn't used to it like these people apparently were but I choked through it and passed it on. We went around the small circle a few more times before the joint was finished and I was beginning to really feel the effects.

It felt good. It didn't make me forget about all of the bad things what were happening, but it made me not really care about them for the time being. I couldn't push my mind to really think about why things were so bad, instead I just let it be and focused on where I was. Or at least I tried to focus. It felt like my mind had made that revelation through for a good hour but when I looked at the clock it hadn't been five minutes yet.

"Paige are you listening?" I heard Shana's voice. I looked at her and smiled stupidly.

"I was just lost in thought. Uuuh whats up?" I asked, trying to play it cool like the weed wasn't having much of an effect on me. I could tell that I was with some experienced smokers and I really didn't want to be that stupid girl that was to trashed to function and keep up with them, so I tried my best to focus on Shana's words.

"I was just going to introduce you to my friends here" She gestured to the people we were sitting with. She pointed to a tall boy with buzzed hair and a scruffy chin strap, "That's Damien". She then pointed to a shorter, stalky guy who had an angry look about him. "That's Adam" He looked at me and nodded before looking into the distance again. I turned and noticed he was glaring at some guy chugging a beer. If I didn't know better I could swear that he looked like he wanted to fight the kid. I shrugged and said an awkward hello but Adam paid no attention to me. Shana got my attention again and pointed to the last person in the group. She was about the same size as Shana, regular height and slim, fit build but she was about as pale as me with deep black hair and blue eyes. She was clinging to Damien, making it obvious they were together. "And this is Tessa" She smiled at me fakely but I was really beyond caring. These people didn't run the other way when they saw me, they allowed me to join them and I was in no position to turn down friends.

"So you're the chick who Emily dated? Shana was telling us about you" Tessa asked. I glared at her for bringing up Emily. I didn't want to be talking about her right now.

"What of it?" I asked.

Tessa grinned. "Oh nothing. She's really pretty I think Shana's a little jealous that you've tapped that. That's all" I was suddenly angry at this girl. Sure I wanted nothing to do with Emily right now but nobody should disrespect her that way. I glared at the girl and she just laughed at me.

Shana glared at Tessa as well. "Actually Tessie, I said I was a little jealous of _Emily_" She suggested. My stoned, drunk brain took a minute to process what that meant and when I got it, I had sort of wished that I hadn't. I just smiled goofily at them all, hoping that somebody would change the subject.

Adam suddenly looked back at me. "Shana also said you got in a fight with Chelsea and Megan right? I know those chicks. Their stuck up snobs I'm glad somebody showed them what they've had coming for a long time"

I had to smile in agreement. It was funny, these four people seemed like trouble but they really had done nothing to harm me or anyone else that I saw. Emily had warned me that they were going to bring me down but what was smoking a little weed and drinking compared to being manipulated, lied to, and bullied? These people lived a simple life but really, they weren't bad people like Megan and Chelsea, they just did some questionably 'bad' things. I could live with that. In fact, I was looking forward to hanging out with these people now. I needed a fresh start and these non judgmental people could easily be my friends.

A couple weeks had passed since I had last talked to Emily. Our little fight on Friday was pretty much forgotten now that I had other, better things to focus on. I threw myself into friendships with Shana and the others. We mostly just hung out at my house since I lived alone so we could do whatever we wanted whenever. I had been spending most of my evenings and both weekends with my new group and it was making forgetting about Rosewood high and Emily a little easier. The few times we had locked eyes in the hall or during swim practices she would look at me with concern. She had no doubt seen me with Shana and the others around town a few times. Her look said it all, she didn't like me hanging out with those people. I would simply glare back, she had no right to judge. That's always what Emily does.

Most of the Rosewood high students had just cut me off completely. Instead of making jokes in the halls anymore they just ignored me. On one end it was great because I wasn't getting harassed and accused but it also made me feel awful because no one gave me a second glance. Sometimes it felt like nobody at all would really care if I disappeared. Although I called Shana and the others friends I knew that they only liked me because I lived alone and was showing the same 'don't care' attitude that they had. The second I started talking about school or swimming they all would stare at me blankly or stop listening. Even Shana didn't talk about swimming with me. All I could really talk about with them was drinking, smoking and vapid topics like who did what at which party and fighting. It didn't help that most of the time they were stoned as well. I really didn't know how Shana could do it, being an athlete but I soon discovered that the high was slightly addicting, especially as it helped me deal with everything. I wasn't doing it as often as the rest of them did, but I had done it more times than I ever thought I would.

It was early Friday morning when I got a knock at my door. I decided to ignore it but the insistent banging got me up. _Who the hell would visit me on a Friday morning? _I had random flashbacks of when Emily would stop by early mornings but I shoved that thought from my head and answered the door.

I pulled the door open muttering, "Who the hell is it?" as I opened the door I saw an angry looking Kelly standing there with her arms crossed. She pushed passed me and entered my apartment.

She turned on me as soon as I closed to door. "Oh so you are alive?!" She yelled. "I was starting to wonder. Would it kill you to text me back sometimes Paige? Seriously what the hell is going on and don't pull the 'my phone is dead' shit because I know you have a perfectly good working lap top. What the hell?" She yelled. Kelly was absolutely pissed. I shouldn't really blame her because I hadn't talked to her in about three weeks now. She still didn't know that Emily and I had broken up.

"And!" She continued. "I decide texting Emily will be a good idea, you know, just to make sure you really were alive and all I got from her was 'ask Paige'. I had to go to texting Hanna just to find out that you and Emily had broken up. And I still didn't get any details! All Hanna said was that things ended badly. So thank you Paige. Thanks for the phone call letting me know you were struggling. Thanks for cutting me out when things get tough for you. I really appreciate that. I feel like a really good friend." Kelly vented.

I glared back at her. "Would you stop?" I fired back. "Does it look like I really care about any of that. I'm just trying to finish out this year at Rosewood so I can get the hell out of here and start over. Yes Kelly, Emily dumped me because she couldn't find it in herself to trust me. Apparently, I'm not really worth much in Rosewood!"

Kelly looked at me sadly now, "Paige. What's going on? What happened? You and Emily were like—"

"don't you dare say perfect" I interrupted. "Obviously it wasn't perfect because she believed some assumption over me. She couldn't have really loved me and now she hates me so there you go. That's what happened. You can go back to Philly now. I wouldn't stick around here, this place will suck the life out of you" I remained cold towards Kelly. I knew she was only concerned for me but I was finally finding a niche with Shana and the others and if Kelly had found out I was hanging out with 'that type' of people she would drag me back to Philly in a heartbeat. She wasn't the understanding type of friend she had her idea of right and wrong and those lines couldn't be crossed. "Please. I'm dealing Kelly just let me do this my way"

"Your way? You mean shutting everyone out? I'm not letting this go Paige you need to sort this out with Emily"

I scoffed. "You don't think I tried?! I put my entire heart out for her and she did nothing! I tried to tell her the truth but she didn't hear it! You know how that felt Kelly? It ripped me apart but I'm not going to let her ruin me again."

"What the hell did she think you did?" Kelly asked.

"I'm not going through it again. You wanna know, ask her"

I turned to walk away when I heard someone knock on the door again. "Now who" I muttered. I opened the door to see Shana and Damien smiling at me.

"You're not going to school today. Its Friday, we're going to actually do something fun. Drink or something…." Shana trailed off as Kelly opened the door wider to see who was speaking. "Hi" Shana said nicely.

"Who is this?" Kelly asked me, clearly not impressed with Shana's idea. I looked at her and shrugged.

"A new friend of mine, Shana. And that's Damien. The reasons I'm able to survive Rosewood" I added.

Kelly stared at them for a minute. "How? By being your supplier? You're not seriously going to skip with them are you?" Kelly asked. She knew that I didn't skip school ever. If my dad ever found out I would be dead and I actually valued learning and good marks. At least I used to.

"Actually, yeah. Fun sounds like a good idea today" I said. Shana and Damien grinned.

Kelly glared at me. "You can't be serious. Paige… you don't skip school. What are you going to do anyway?"

I groaned. "Ok, _mom_. First of all, you never had a problem when you wanted me to skip school. I mean what are you doing right now?" I asked.

"I was trying to make sure you were still alive and when I want to skip its for something like the beach! Not drinking and getting stoned!"

"Again! Sense when do you care about what I do?" I asked.

"Paige you don't do that stuff! You said it yourself, you need to get through Rosewood not get arrested or kicked out of school!" Kelly looked at Shana. "I don't know who you think you are but I think you should find another _friend_ to corrupt. I'm not letting Paige go down this road" Kelly said. That pissed me off. I was sick of people telling me how to live my life and I didn't want to deal with Kelly right now. If I stuck around, I would end up crying on her shoulder and I had already made so much progress these past few weeks.

Shana looked at me questioningly. "Lets go" I said. Kelly reached out to stop me but I shrugged her off, heading out the door. "Lock up on your way out please. I probably won't be home tonight" I slammed the door and walked with Shana and Damien to Shana's Civic. "So what's the plan for today?" I asked.

As usual, Shana didn't make any sort of deal about what happened with Kelly, she just shrugged it off and moved on to the next thing. "I dunno. Adam said he got his brother to buy him some alcohol so why don't we start there." Shana suggested.

I eagerly agreed. I really could use the day off and forgetting about Kelly showing up all angry would be nice right about now.

We went to Shana's and spent the morning and better part of the afternoon drinking and smoking. I surprised myself at how ok I was with doing this. I knew that I really shouldn't be smoking weed because it could have really bad effects on my swimming, especially if it turned into a habit. Still, the better part of me just didn't care. I was starting to wonder if staying on the swim team really was worth it anymore.

"Hey you know what would look reeeeeaaaaly sexy on you?" Tessa asked.

"You?" I joked lamely.

"That! Aaaaaand a tattoo. You have that badass brooding thing going on and you totally need a tattoo to match it." She poked me and giggled.

Shana looked at me and nodded in agreement. "She's right. We should totally take you to get a tattoo. Like an initiation to the group or something."

"What? All of you have tattoos?" I asked. I noticed Adams sleeve and Tessa's quote on her wrist but I hadn't seen Shana's or Damien's. Damien turned around and raised his pant leg so I could see his calve tattoo of a tribal wolf. "Hey that's really cool!" I complimented. The more I thought about it, the better the idea of getting a tattoo seemed. "Where's yours Shana?" I asked.

She smirked at me and lifted her shirt. Right along her rib was the quote 'life is what you make it' written in elegant writing. "Life is what you make it Paige. And I think it's time you got a tattoo."

I thought about it for a moment. "Let's do it. Wait? Don't I need parent permission. I'm only seventeen" Bummer. I actually really wanted to do this.

Shana laughed and shook her head. "Oh Paige. We have ways around that. Damien's sister works at a tattoo parlor in Philly. If we go to his house I'm sure she'd do you right up at a decent price." Damien took out his phone and began texting quickly.

"Oh she'll totally do it" He agreed.

"Isn't that like dangerous or something" I tried to reason. "Should I get it done _at _the tattoo place?" Sometime about needles I remembered they needed to be sterile. "Maybe I should wait till I'm sober."

They all groaned. "Paige don't be chicken. Being drunk and a little high makes it like five times less painful. And besides unless you want to ask your daddy to sign the waiver for you, its Damien's basement or nothing." Tessa said.

I thought as logically as I could for a moment. I had never done something so rebellious and after the morning I had, I really wanted to do this for myself. I always thought tattoos were kind of cool but I knew my father would never have it. "Fine. What should I get?"

"I have the perfect idea for your tattoo" Shana suggested. "Let's go, I'll tell you when we get there"

I looked down at the new permanent addition to my body. It was red and it stung a little bit, but it definitely wasn't as painful as I was expecting. Down on my right hip was an anchor tattoo with a rope wrapped around it. The tattoo had actually turned out amazing, Damien's sister admitting it was her best piece yet. The anchor was simply black with a little detail and perfect dimension to it. The rope was frayed and broken off at the end to symbolise no longer being held down. Shana said the tattoo represented who I was now, somebody who was free to live their own life, broken free from anything holding me down. I loved the tattoo and the placement was perfect. They were right, even I myself could admit the tattoo suited me and it actually did look very sexy. Nobody would be able to see it during swimming because it would be covered by the once piece but if I decided I wanted it to be shown a crop top or a two piece would allow so. _Easily hidable from my dad_, I thought happily.

We went back to Shana's afterword's and did shots to celebrate 'Paige's sexy tattoo' as Shana called it and the night quickly became a blur, probably never to be remembered in my mind.

I woke up in the morning on Shana's floor in the living room. I was incredibly sore from sleeping on the ground in my clothes with no pillow but I shrugged it off and got up. I was stiff and I felt the stinging in my hip intensify as I moved. I lifted up my shirt and remembered the tattoo. I looked at the red, irritated skin and sighed. Probablly not my best idea when I was drink. It wasn't that I regretted the tattoo, I still liked it but I probably would have been more concerned with how sterile Damien's basement was if I were sober. _Oops_.

I looked around and saw the rest of them were still sleeping so I snuck out, catching a cab from Oakwood back to Rosewood. I saw that Kelly's car was gone luckily so I went inside and changed before going down to The Brew for a Saturday morning hangover coffee and breakfast. I was sitting alone enjoying my breakfast when Toby Cavanaugh walked in. He saw me and looked at me questioningly. I was probably still in pretty rough shape so I shrugged and grinned at him. I never had an issue with Toby. I couldn't really blame him for anything especially after knowing he fell victim to Allison. Just like I had.

"Rough night?" He asked as he approached my table. I groaned in response and he chuckled. I motioned for him to sit with me and he smiled at the gesture. "Wow. Paige I knew you were going through stuff lately but I didn't take you for a heavy drinker. Is everything alright?"

I groaned again. "Why do people keep asking me that? I'm fine. It was a Friday night, isn't that what normal teenagers do?"

"Yeah but you're not a normal teenager. Plus I hear things from Spencer, I know you've been hanging out with Oakwood kids lately. I just want you to know—"

"What that their all bad people and I should run the other way? That's what people around here say about me and from what I remember what people _used _to say about you" I finished.

Toby just smiled. "Actually, what I was going to say was, I just want you to know I'm not here to judge. I don't know the truth, nobody really does." This is why I couldn't hate Toby. I don't think anybody that ever talked to him could. He had to be the sweetest, genuinely good guy I had ever met. "Anyways I was also going to say I can smell the alcohol and weed on you still so you might want to shower before the cops come in here" He explained.

I laughed at him. "Thanks for the tip."

Toby looked at me seriously. "Paige, just be careful. I know everything seems better through what you're doing, trust me, I've been through that angry stage, but I can say from personal experience that going down that road, especially with all the stakes on you as a student athlete, it's not a good option for you." Toby looked at me with his concerned baby blue eyes. It was nice that he wasn't really saying he had a problem with it, he was just warning me.

I looked down. "Well I guess now would be a bad time to bring up the tattoo I got last night?" Toby looked at me and laughed.

"Good one" Toby replied.

"Toby how did you do it?" I asked.

He looked at me in confusion. "Do what?"

"Forgive them. I know what they did, pinning the Jenna Thing on you. I just can't understand how you could take the fall for that and be ok with it. So much as to be dating Spencer." I reasoned.

Toby looked at me seriously. "It was actually very easy. You didn't know Allison, she got whatever she wanted no matter what. She had something on all of us, even me. I had done things for Allison that I wasn't proud of. The girls went through the same thing. Allison may have manipulated them the best. Even though she's out of their lives, she still has this…power over them. You didn't know Allison so I can see why you wouldn't understand. It's so complicated but I can tell you that even if the girls had stood up and said no, Allison still would have done it. And she still would have blamed me. I can't blame the girls for what Allison did."

"How could Allison get away with so much? And why can't they see it?" that was the part that confused me the most.

Toby laughed. "Allison had her way with people. She had an in with almost everyone in Rosewood and made the girls feel special. I think they see it, especially Hanna but like I said, Allison was friends with them even if the way you and I see it makes it seem like she wasn't a friend at all. She loved them in her way."

"Wow. Toby are you sure you're 18? You seem so much older." I mused.

"I've had a lot in my life that's made me grow up. But the girls are good people Paige. I think you know that. I don't know exactly what made them believe you did that to Allison's memorial but I really hope you and Emily can find forgiveness in each other for everything. You two deserve each other and you both shouldn't have let Allison ruin that."

"I don't think I can forgive her right now" I said sadly. "I feel completely lost and I can't help myself from being angry with them for it."

"You don't need to forgive them today Paige. But when you're turning to alcohol and drugs to solve your problems, well the people that are letting you do that might not be the best company. You need people that are going to take care of you."

"There's no one like that for me in Rosewood." I stated.

"I think you'd be surprised who would be there for you when you really need it. I know I was" Toby replied. He smiled at me again before standing up. "I have to go. Jenna's waiting. Seriously think about what you're doing to yourself though Paige. Don't ruin yourself over this." He waved as he left The Brew, leaving me with a lot to think about.

The door swung open again and I saw a very frantic looking Aria rush over to me. "Paige?" She squinted at me as if trying to make sure it was really me. _Oh right. Hang over Paige_. "Paige I'm so glad I found you…"


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N- Just gonna get right to it with this one! I hope everyone is still interested in the story I'm trying not to rush things but its all coming together soon i promise**

**Glad everyone liked the tattoo idea I had requests for that so I threw that into the story. **

**Thanks everyone for the reviews and PMs.. if I didn't respond to all of them I'm sorry its been a hectic week**

** I am either going to put out another short update in the next couple of days or work on a bigger chapter but it wont be up until at least a week from now. Let me know what you would prefer! **

**I also did a very crappy job editing this chapter but I'm to lazy to fix it today so sorry for the extra mistakes in this one**

**Emily's POV-**

These past couple of weeks have gone by torturously slow. It's like I'm dealing with the same thing over and over. The confusion about everything that's happened hasn't subsided like I thought it would. I thought at this point I would feel some form of closure but there's been nothing. I'm still lost, I still feel broken, and worst of all, I've found myself missing Paige. Not this new Paige, the angry one who lies and is now apparently an Oakwood partier. I miss the Paige that would bring me breakfast and hold my hand. The Paige that would joke around with me at one moment and then be completely loving and honest the next. I missed the Paige that would look at me with those deep eyes that conveyed nothing but love.

After the memorial incident, I hadn't seen that look again. I doubted I ever would. I yearned to believe her but it was so impossible. This Paige was making it even harder. She was so angry and so detached all of the time, it was becoming difficult to recognise her. Even though I was buckets of mad at her, completely heartbroken I still worried about her. I didn't like her hanging out with Shana and the other Oakwood kids. They were visibly dragging her down and I didn't know how much longer I could stand seeing her come to school hung over, or watch her leave with them at the end of the day. I could only imagine what they were up to alone at Paige's apartment.

Paige barely gave me a second glance anymore. And when she did, it was a menacing glare that hit me deep in the gut. I hadn't spoken a word to her in two weeks since our argument after swim practice. The argument that only brought more confusion to me.

"Tell me you're as excited as I am for tonight!" Hanna squealed as we walked to my car, finally finished with a typical boring Friday at school. After school we were all planning on going back to my house for a much needed girl's night. We were doing it classic style; chick flick, junk food, and story sharing. I wasn't really in the mood to share any of my stories but I was happy to listen to everyone else's, they had all been doing very well in the relationship department lately, Hanna and Caleb, Spencer and Toby, Aria and Holden. I was truly happy for them and I hoped that one day soon I would be able to put the awful thing with Paige behind me and find someone that could make me truly happy. But for right now, that didn't even seem like a possibility.

"Yeah I'm excited, it will be nice" I said simply. I promised myself I would let my mood bring down the group tonight.

"good" Hanna agreed.

Out of nowhere I felt a rough hand on my shoulder grab me and spin me around "You have a lot of explaining to do" A cold voice barked. It was Kelly, standing before me looking angry as ever.

"Kelly?" I asked. What did she want with me? the last I had heard from her was a couple weeks ago when she asked what was wrong with Paige via text message.

"Kelly what are you doing here?" Hanna asked, smiling politely. Hanna still wanted to hang out with Kelly after everything but she said she would wait until Kelly had contacted her, which had never happened as a far as I knew.

"You've got to be kidding me right? Emily you have about five minutes to explain what happened before I—"

"Have you talked to Paige?" I interrupted.

She raised her hands in the air. "I tried. She blew me off this morning to go do drugs and drink with some Shana chick. Paige doesn't skip school on a good day and now she is just to get high? Somebody better explain to me who did this to her?" Kelly looked at me accusingly.

"Did you know we broke up?" I asked. I really didn't know what else to say to Kelly, I mean explaining the entire story to Paige's best friend obviously wasn't going to go over well, although I could tell that's where the conversation was heading.

"Well I found out though Hanna. Can you believe that? I had to find out my two friends broke up through another friend? Explain this to me Emily because Paige is pretty broken right now. I've seen Paige at her worse but it's never been to this level before. I barely even recognise the girl I saw this morning" Kelly looked at me seriously.

I sighed and started telling her what happened. I began crying at one point from the recollection of that night. I spared no details, telling her everything that happened with Jenna and why Paige was so upset in the first place. I went on to explain her walking away and going to Sills park where the memorial was destroyed that night while Paige was out.

"Wait a minute." Kelly interrupted. "You think Paige did that? You actually believe that Paige destroyed Allison's memorial bench?"

I nodded weakly. "Kelly I'm so sorry. All evidence points to Paige. I mean there's even a picture…" I trailed off.

"Fuck!" Kelly yelled. "No wonder Paige has been acting like this, you broke her! How could you believe she would do something like that, Paige would never—"

"Did you not hear her?" Hanna defended me. "there's a picture of her there that night Kelly. Its undeniable, yet she's still denying it."

"Let me see it" Kelly mumbled. I looked at her in confusion. "The picture. Let me see it" She ordered impatiently. I scrolled through my phone until I found the picture of Paige standing over Allison's memorial bench. I handed the phone to Kelly and she stared at it intently for a more then a minute. Then she began laughing menacingly. "You think Paige is guilty because of _this _picture? The one that proves she actually _didn't _do it?"

"uuuuh what?" I asked in confusion. _Did she just say it proves Paige didn't do it? _That's impossible I spent hours looking at that blurry photograph.

"I would seriously kill you right now if I didn't think you were the only thing that could save Paige now. Emily look at this! Ok first of all, Paige is just standing there so if you really blamed her for going to a park you're pretty naïve. Secondly… _look_. There's a girl crossing the street in the picture. Do you not think that if Paige was destroying a bench that girl might have noticed?" Kelly zoomed in to the girl in the picture and my stomach immediately dropped. _How had I not seen this before?_ The girl in the picture looked about the same height and build as Chelsea and I could see little stands of her blonde pixie hair sticking out of her black hoodie. The most alarming part was she was giving what looked like a subtle thumbs up to the camera, the camera that now undoubtedly Megan was holding.

I began hyperventilating. _How could I be so stupid? _I had spent hours looking at that picture and I had missed something that Kelly picked up on in less than a minute? I spend so much time looking at Paige in that picture, trying to will myself to believe it was somebody else that I hadn't even noticed the other body. I hadn't even noticed it was Chelsea of all people. It was a set up after all and I had fallen for it, we all had fallen for it.

How could I do that to Paige? I understood everything now. Why Paige was so angry, why she had tried so hard to deny it. Why she had fought Chelsea and Megan after that. Paige was completely innocent. No, Paige was a victim to this more so than I was. More so because she was dealing with the fall out of the entire school hating her. She had to deal with the people she thought were her friends hating her. She had to deal with me breaking her heart by not giving her even the fraction of a chance to explain that night.

_"What have I done?" _I sobbed. I felt myself fall to the pavement and I just sat there, letting myself lose it. I felt physically ill. I seriously had never felt like such a screw up in my life. It was one thing for me to feel bad, but I had actually ruined Paige by not believing her. I should have given her the chance to explain. Or better, I should have known better than to believe the lie in the first place.

I felt a sting on my cheek and I realised that Kelly had struck me. "That was one time and one time only but Emily you deserve that, and so much worse" Kelly said coldly. "I trusted you. I told you to take care of Paige no matter what and you fucked up. Over something so stupid! Didn't you understand? That's the worst thing you could ever do to Paige! She firmly believes that people who get close to her can't love her. Her family and now you? You're so lucky there's still a chance to fix her. If she had.. if she would have.. god damnit Emily she was completely alone here! What if she would have done something to hurt herself?"

I felt my stomach wrench and I let out a dry heave. I actually felt like throwing up from this. I was completely relieved that Paige was innocent after all but that I couldn't find it in me to be happy. All I felt was intense guilt and hate towards myself. What if Paige had actually done something worse than what she was going now? I had witnessed that before, with the mirror shattered. Paige was strong but to herself she was very fragile, and I had let her be alone over something completely wrong. How could I let her be alone? What did that say about me?

"I don't know!" I sobbed. "I—I should have.. I didn't think sh—" I choked out meaningless, broken explanations.

"You really don't know Paige at all do you?" Kelly fumed. "I thought you were good for her but you just caused more damage! Where did she go today Emily? I need to find her before she does something to herself that she can't undo!"

I registered Kelly's voice but I had nothing to say. I didn't know where she was because I hadn't been looking out for her. I knew she was with Shana, probably in Oakwood but I didn't know where they hung out or what they did. I broke my promise to Kelly about looking after Paige no matter what. I was actually the one that hurt Paige the most.

Then I remembered Chelsea and Megan. The emotion of guilt and sadness were quickly replaced by gut wrenching hatred. _How could they go that far? _It wasn't a doubt in my mind that they had set Paige up with Allison's memorial but how could they have it in them to destroy someone's memorial just to ruin Paige's life? My mom was right, the people that did that to Ally's grave had to be sick people. Not just bad, menacingly sick and that's exactly what Chelsea and Megan were. They pushed Paige beyond just bullying. This was something on a level I didn't know how to deal with. _Don't concern yourself with them now Emily, just worry about Paige_.

How the hell was I going to talk to her, explain how sorry I was? How do you just tell somebody that you really screwed up, to the point that you wished you could take back time, to the point where you wished you had made a completely different choice. How do you explain how much you regretted a decision that had said you couldn't trust them anymore? I couldn't think of any words I could say to Paige that would ever make up for what I had done. I thought she had betrayed me when really I was the one who had let her down.

"Come on Emily" Hanna murmured. I was aware of her picking me up off the ground and guiding me towards my car. She took my keys and opened the passenger door for me. "Meet us at Spencer's" Hanna called over to Kelly who was getting into her car. I was still a sobbing mess so I had no idea what the plan was.

"Hanna?" I asked.

She looked at me. "I texted Spencer she's going to meet us with Aria at her house. We're going to figure this out Emily don't worry. Paige is going to forgive you, she loves you."

I thought about that for a moment. _Did she love me anymore?_ "I don't think it's that simple." I whispered.

Hanna looked at me sadly, "I know Emily. I know"

When we got to Spencer's, her and Aria were already there waiting for us. Kelly pulled up behind us and got out of her car. "Ok I get why we left the school with Emily falling apart but I'm not messing around here, lets just get to the point and find Paige."

"Woah hold on a second!" Spencer interjected. "I think Aria and I deserve to know what's going on. What's wrong with Emily? Did Paige—"

"Shut up and listen Spencer!" Hanna urged. I watched as Kelly was staring furiously at Spencer for blaming Paige for my condition right now. Little did Spencer know that I had done this to myself.

Hanna explained everything, showing Spencer and Aria the picture, both of them gasping as they realised the truth about that night. She went on, explaining how we thought Paige was going to end up in trouble if we didn't help her soon. Spencer would agree that skipping school to drink with Shana and the Oakwood students could lead to some bad things.

"Why wouldn't she was just explained this to us?" Spencer asked, as if that was the obvious way to prevent this situation.

"Spencer" Aria started. "If you remember, she tried. You and Emily never really gave her the chance" Aria spoke sadly. "None of us did"

"You!" Kelly pointed at Spencer. "You don't know what the fuck was going on and you still let Paige take the fall for this! She was your friend Spencer! She spoke so fondly of all of you and you just blamed her? What the hell kind of people are you? I swear the minute I find her I'm getting her out of Rosewood!" Kelly yelled. We all deserved it, and I figured the girls would go along with me and just let Kelly be angry for the moment but I should have known better. Spencer was on the defensive now, something I wished to avoid.

"Everything pointed to Paige! Even without that picture we had our doubts!" Spencer fired back.

That was the completely wrong thing to say to Paige's best friend, and I knew that. Kelly knew that Paige wasn't capable of that so Spencer basically saying 'it looked like it was Paige anyways' no doubt had set Kelly off.

"You're fucking kidding me right? Urgh! I thought you were her friend but clearly you aren't capable of trusting anybody but your little group here! Paige would _never _do that. Let's forget about the fact that this was Emily's friends memorial but Paige wouldn't have it in her to do that to anybody! How could you think Paige would do that? She _loves _Emily she couldn't have done anything that would ruin that!"

"Paige has a temper!" Spencer argued back. "It made sense at the time. We'll apologize but we can't be completely to blame for this…I mean, how come you didn't show up a couple of weeks ago to help us with this?" Spencer again was trying to place the blame elsewhere. I knew eventually she would own up that it really was our fault for being so untrusting but right now it was pissing me off, and clearly Kelly. The girls and I knew that Spencer really just felt bad but it was Spencer and she took a while to admit that even to herself. Thing was, Kelly didn't know that.

I watched in horror and Kelly lunged at Spencer, tackling her to the ground. They were scuffling on the ground, neither one really hitting the other just rolling around trying to pin the other. Aria was shouting at them to cut it out and Hanna was trying to pull them apart. I just stood there in shock.

I watched as Kelly got the upper hand, finally pinning Spencer who was struggling to stand up. Hanna pulled Kelly beneath the arms off of her, dragging her back as she was still trying to take a run at Spencer. Aria rushed over and stood between them, helping Spencer up and pushing her by the shoulders to keep her from running at Kelly. They were screaming accusations and swear words at each other and I finally couldn't take it anymore.

"Enough!" I yelled. They all stopped and looked at me. It was the first thing I had said since we'd got to Spencer's. The only other thing I had been doing was crying and trying to keep up with what we were going to do to get Paige back to us. "Kelly I know—" my voice broke so I swallowed hard, willing myself to get this out. "I know you hate us all right now, and _none_ of us blame you." I looked at Spencer and she nodded slightly. "But can we _please_, please focus on what we're going to do with Paige right now? I need to find her. I need to…" I didn't really know what I needed to do. "I need to make it right again" I decided.

Kelly relaxed and Hanna let go of her. "You're right Emily. _You _need to fix this. Because I'm pretty sure you're the only one who can. Thing is, Paige is more stubborn than a mule. You see, Paige never opens up to people. Really, before you guys I was the only one she was really close with. Now that this has happened, I just don't see her letting anyone in ever again." Kelly said. It was heartbreaking. I knew Paige liked to keep to herself and I was more than thrilled that she was so comfortable with me before. Now it seemed like I ruined any chance of getting my old Paige back. _No one to blame but yourself, _I reminded myself.

"What can I do?" I asked. I needed to focus on looking forward. "I don't…" I was going to say I don't care if she forgives me but that would have been a lie. "Even if she can't forgive us, she can't keep doing this to herself. We need to make sure that everyone in Rosewood High knows that she didn't do it. And she needs to stop hanging out with Shana!"

Kelly sighed and rubbed her temples. "I know. But if you tell her to stop she's only going to make it worse."

"That's Paige." I mumbled, defeated. "There has to be something" I said. I needed to remain optimistic or I would end up curled up in a ball for the rest of senior year.

"I think the only thing you can do is talk to her. Tell her that you were wrong, and be completely honest. About _everything_. Spare no details Emily, Paige needs to hear it all. And then, you have to ask her to be careful. Don't _tell _her, ask her. She's going to blow you off but you need to make it clear you're not going anywhere."

"I'm not going to give up" I insisted.

"Tell her that. You need to prove to her that there are better things than drinking and hanging out with sketch bags."

"I'm going to prove to her that I love her and trust her with everything I have. I'm going to show her how much I need her" I agreed.

Kelly shook her head. "Emily I really could care less if you ended up back together. I just don't want Paige to continue this self destruction thing. I don't like you right now Emily." She said coldly.

"I'm sorry." My sobs began deepening again. I knew I deserved everything Kelly was saying, and I appreciated how she wasn't sugar coating it but everything still sucked. "I just really hope I can prove to you and Paige how sorry I am, and that I'll never leave her side again"

"Prove it to Paige and maybe one day I'll believe you." Kelly said coldly. "I'm going back to Paige's apartment to see if she comes home tonight. I highly doubt that, I really ticked her off this morning but I can hope."

"I thought you were going to look for her?" Aria asked. "We can go to Oakwood and find her" She suggested.

Kelly shook her head. "Change of plans. Like I was saying, I really ticked her off today and with all of this drinking and built up anger I think we should give her the night to calm down. If we set her off again, I think she might really do something to hurt herself" Kelly looked torn. I felt the same way. Paige had already been pushed beyond the breaking point and who knew how much more she could take before she snapped. I shuddered at the thought of her doing something that would take her beautiful self away from me forever.

"Okay" I agreed weakly. "I'll give her the night but I need to find her tomorrow. I don't know how much longer I can see her like this" I complained.

"I'll text you if she shows up. If she's not back by morning I'll meet you guys here and we'll go to Oakwood to find her" Kelly turned. Giving Aria, Hanna and Spencer a curt nod before turning on her heals and getting back in her car, back to Paige's apartment.

"What the hell are we supposed to do now?" Hanna asked. I knew exactly what she meant. Sitting here waiting for Paige was going to be torture.

"I guess we just hang out at Emily's like our usual plan?" Aria suggested. They all looked at me and I nodded. I needed them right now. What I really needed was Paige but that was out of the question tonight and I didn't think I could make it through this alone. "Lets go." I agreed.

We spend the evening sitting in the living room, watching TV and making small talk. Spencer had apologized to me for not letting Paige speak to me that night. As much as I wished I could blame Spencer I knew we all brushed Paige off that night, and Paige deserved better than that. I was willing to be better for her. I had to be. The night was torturously slow but I got through it. Aria gave me a couple of Dristan, saying that while she didn't condone sleep aids, I needed to be alert for tomorrow. I eagerly took the pills knowing there would be no way I could have a normal sleep without them. I drifted off, imagining what I was going to say to Paige tomorrow.

I woke up to my phone buzzing. I remembered immediately where I was and what was happening so I reached for my phone, seeing that Kelly was calling. "Hello?" I answered rather frantically.

"Emily. She's not back. It's 8:00 and she's not back yet" Kelly said. I could tell she was worried sick. It was only 8 in the morning but we both knew Paige was an early riser and with everything going on it was easy to assume bad things. "See you soon" I said, nudging the other girls, waking them up. "Meet us here and and we can all go to Oakwood in your car" I suggested.

"See you soon" Kelly hung up. I got dressed quickly while explaining to the others that Paige hadn't returned last night. They all agreed to come to Oakwood with me and Kelly. Kelly arrived in minutes and we all climbed in her car quickly. "Lets go" She said.

"Wait a second." Aria called. We all looked at her expectantly. "I'm going to stay here. Drop me off in town. Just in case Paige is back." We nodded in agreement and Aria climbed out of the car. "I'm going to walk around town for a bit, just to make sure they aren't hanging out in Rosewood today. I'll text you if I find her Emily. Made sure you do the same for me" Aria asked.

"Gotcha" I agreed. "See you Aria." With that Kelly sped off, my only destination was wherever Paige could be found.

It took us 10 minutes to get to Oakwood and we were already headed to Shana's house. I remembered the address from the last party where I had to come pick up some drunk Rosewood swimmers after the party got busted. I jumped out of the car and began banging loudly on the door.

"Paige are you here?" I called. _Please be here, please be here_. "Somebody open the door!" I yelled again. Spencer, Hanna and Kelly stood behind me.

A groggy, hung over looking Shana opened to door, wearing nothing but a pair of short shorts and a sports bra. She immediately brightened at seeing me staring her down angrily. "Emily! What a surprise… ladies!" She acknowledged everyone behind me.

"Where is she?" I asked, getting straight to the point.

"She left already." I glared at her, demanding more of an explanation. "Took a cab back to Rosewood. I saw her leaving. Did you want to search the place for her? She left my bed bright and early this morning. I didn't even get a kiss goodbye" Shana fake pouted.

"Give it up Shana!" Hanna yelled. "Paige wouldn't hook up with scum like you."

Shana laughed. "Scum? New word for your vocabulary Hanna?" A guy and a girl approached the door from behind Shana, making their presence known.

"What were you guys doing last night?" Kelly asked.

"Aaaah we met yesterday right? Kelly isn't it?" Shana asked sweetly. "We just drank and hung out… the rest if for me to know and for you to, well, hopefully not find out" She winked.

"Stay away from her Shana!" I growled. "She doesn't need someone like you bringing her down."

"Yeah she had enough of that in her life before me" Shana agreed sarcastically. "I've done nothing but be Paige's friend when she's needed one. Everything else is none of your business anymore Emily."

"Her friend? She's obviously in a bad state and you've encouraged her to drink and smoke away her problems! That's not a friend… you're letting her destroy herself!" I yelled.

"No Emily, you did that. I was just giving her the means to feel better. So what if that involves some drinking. At least I'm not shutting her out. I met Paige, I liked her, I asked her to hangout. She agreed and really it's as simple as that."

"You don't even know!" Spencer defended. "You really have no idea what the story is." Spencer argued.

Shanna snickered again. "Are you really that dumb? Paige is a good person, I know that much. I've known her for what 2 weeks and I can already tell you she had nothing to do with Allison's memorial getting ruined. Really Emily how could you be that stupid. I thought you were in love with her?" I couldn't take Shana implying that she knew Paige better than I did. That idea was inconceivable. It was a mixture of jealousy and hatred for Shana that caused my next move. I flung myself at her, fully intending on beating as much as a could out of her. This girl was trouble and she had let my girlfriend go down the wrong path. I wasn't going to let her walk all over me. I felt Spencer off all people grab me by the waist and pull me back. Just as I was about to lunge again I felt my phone vibrate. It was Aria.

"Hello?" I asked.

"It's me" Aria said quickly. "You need to get back here, meet me at The Brew. Quickly, I don't know how long I can convince Paige to stay." I turned quickly, sprinting back to my car. The girls followed me without question. Shana would have to wait. Right now, I needed to reach Paige.

**Paige's POV-**

Aria sat down next to me. "Paige I need you to listen for a second alright?" I nodded, immediately worried something was wrong. _Was Emily ok?_ It was the only thing I could think about. "We found out the truth. We know Megan and Chelsea set you up and we're all so sorry." Well I wasn't expecting that from Aria. It was relieving to know that Emily was alright but also a little annoying that I was worried about that in the first place.

"About time" I mumbled. Then I looked up at her. "This doesn't change anything for me. I hope you realise that. I still feel the same as before. You guys should have trusted me."

"I know Paige. We should have and we all regret it. I'll let Emily explain that to you though. Please Paige if you can do one thing can you please hear Emily out? She feels worse than awful about this entire thing and it would really help if you just listened to her."

"Why should I?" I asked. "Emily doesn't deserve my time of day right now"

"None of us do Paige. We know that. We're not blaming you for being upset, believe me. But we don't want to see you do this to yourself. It's killing Emily to see you this way. You don't have to say anything to her, just let her talk… listen to what she has to say." Aria pleaded.

I didn't have a chance to agree. Aria must have already called Emily because she flew into The Brew about 5 minutes after Aria sat down. She looked at me, my hung over, clearly beaten self and I could see it physically pained her to look at me like this. It was a little heartbreaking but mostly inferiorating.

"Paige" She breathed. Aria stood, giving me a warning, pleading look before touching Emily's arm and leaving the coffee shop.

"I know what you're going to say Emily" I said coldly. "And I told you before, I'm not hearing it. I tried to explain to you so many times and you just _couldn't _believe me."

Emily sat down. The look on her face made it clear how awful she felt, but really it didn't change anything for me. If I let her in again, who was to say the same thing wouldn't happen all over? I could barley handle it the first time.

"I know. Paige I don't know what to say. I'm so…" Emily began crying. "I'm so sorry. I was so wrong and so stupid to believe that. I'm never going to forgive myself. Please Paige, please just tell me that you understand how bad I feel" Emily begged.

"Emily I get it ok? You feel bad but that is _nothing_ in comparison to how I've felt for the past few weeks. Do you know what it's like to be accused of something like that? Everyone here hates me, the damage has been done. And you. I can't even tell you how I felt that night Emily. You can be torn up about beign wrong but you will never feel the way I felt that night. The way I feel now" My voice was rising in anger. I surprised myself at how open I was being. I guess it was the impatience with Emily right now.

"Can i—Can I just explain everything to you Paige? You need to know" Emily asked.

"No." I answered. Emily just looked at me in shock. I knew it was rude to outright reject her but I didn't want to be here right now. "You didn't give me the chance to explain so why should I?" I immediately regretted saying that. Emily broke down in small sobs, looking down, away from my eyes. "Sorry, that was too far" I apologised. "But you really can't expect much from me anymore Emily. You're only going to be disappointed."

"I could never be disappointed in you Paige. Please… I am sitting here willing to beg for you to just let me in again. I am completely serious when I say I'll do whatever it takes."

I began crying quietly too. I was more upset with myself because I did want Emily back, when I knew I shouldn't. I should just be able to forget about her but it seems so impossible. "I can't" I whispered back. "Too much has happened. Please just let me go" I asked. It had already felt like she had let me go. I was so angry and so upset all of the emotions were just confusing me.

"I'll never let you go Paige" Emily whispered. She looked me in the eyes intensely and I remembered the first time she had said that to me, before we were even together. My stomach did flips at the memory. I pushed that feeling aside.

"Then you're in for a lot of disappointment" I replied coldly. "Look I have other places to be so if you don't mind…" I had to make my escape.

"Wait!" Emily cried. "Paige please. If you don't want to be near me that's… I understand but can you please do me one favor?"

"Why should I?" I asked.

"Its more for yourself. Stay away from them. From Shana. Please Paige you're worrying me, all of us so much I don't want to see you get hurt, or worse." Emily shuddered. I laughed at her plea and shrugged.

"They are the last people I'm worried about hurting me. There's not much left to hurt Emily, look at me" I pointed to myself.

Emily looked at me, deep in thought for a moment. "I think I need to make myself clear. I know you're not letting me explain but… Paige I still love you. I'm going to fight for you, make sure everybody finds out you were innocent. I'm going to be right here when you need somebody. All you have to do is give me the chance, when you're ready, I'm going to be here for whatever you need. You're too good for them Paige. You're too good for anybody but I'm going to try my best to be what you need" Emily's little speech had me breathless. I didn't know what to say to her. "Paige be honest with me, just answer me this one question. Do you think you can love me again?" Emily asked. She looked at me firmly, trying to get an answer.

_I never stopped_. That would have been the truth. I could say that and try to work things out. But I was stubborn as hell, "I don't know" I whispered. I stood and ran out the door before I broke down right in front of her. I ran to my apartment, I knew Kelly would be there but I would rather run to her than risk having Emily chase me down if I went to the woods.

I flung the door open, in complete sobs by this point. I felt Kelly pull me into a hug and I just let it out. I don't know how long we stood like this, it felt like forever. This was the first time I had ever really completely let my emotions show to anybody else since Emily broke up with me. Now that I was crying in front of Kelly, I couldn't stop myself. I had finally reached my breaking point.

"Shhhh. Paige, you're ok. Actually you're in a lot of trouble from me but I forgive you" Kelly joked. I gave myself a few minutes to pull myself together before responding.

"Thanks" I said simply. She knew I meant thanks for a lot of things, but Kelly never expected me to go into any details.

"Ready to talk about it?" Kelly asked. She pulled me back, taking my hand and guiding me to the coach.

I sighed. "Not really. But I can say I don't really know what I want to do. I'm so mad Kelly. I'm so upset and I'm so confused. Thank you, for making them see the truth. I have a feeling you had something to do with them figuring it out."

Kelly explained to me what happened yesterday and how she noticed somebody else in the picture that the other girls knew. I couldn't believe the picture had Chelsea in it and the girls still hadn't realised it wasn't me. I shouldn't really blame them because I had seen the picture too but that didn't stop me from becoming more ticked at the entire situation.

"At least now they know the truth" Kelly said, trying to shed some positive light on the situation.

"My problem is, they never should have suspected I would do something like that in the first place. Do you know how that makes me feel about myself?" I asked.

Kelly gave me a once over, "I can see pretty clearly how it affected you Paige. But at least all of that can stop now. You don't need to hang out with that Shana chick anymore"

I gave Kelly a pathetic look. "You're joking right? I'm not just going to stop hanging out with them now that everyone knows the truth! They're my friends now Kelly, obviously better than Emily and the girls because they can't hurt me!"

Kelly scoffed at me, "You're the one that must be kidding! Paige, they _are _hurting you by letting you do this to yourself. Please Paige, if you're not going to take care of yourself for anybody else and least do it for you. You have such a bright future but you need to be careful. I know this is just the beginning but things could get so much worse!" I knew Kelly was just worried about me but I was really sick of people caring. Just once I would like to be able to make my own choices. The things I was doing weren't bad but Kelly, Emily and the other girls were making it seem like I was some alcoholic.

"Don't make me move in with you to keep an eye on you Paige." Kelly scolded. "I have to work tomorrow so I'm going back to Philly in the morning. But Aria and Hanna promised me they would keep tabs on you. If they think you're getting yourself in to trouble they're gonna let me know. And I'm expecting a phone call from you at least once a day."

I laughed at Kelly's antics but she just looked at me seriously. "I'm not kidding Paige. You have people in this world that love you and you're not allowed to just throw your life away. You know better."

"If I don't hang out with Shana who else do I talk to? Everyone else in Rosewood still hates me!" I complained.

"If I remember correctly there are four girls willing to beg for your forgiveness. Please consider talking to them Paige. They care about you, and you need people who love you right now."

"They obviously don—"

"They all care about you Paige. I hope you realise that soon. As much as I hate them right now, they really are what's good for you."

I completely disagreed with Kelly but I went along with it to get her off my back. "Maybe if I just give it some time" I half lied. Kelly smiled happily at my giving in.

**Emily's POV-**

This week was awful. I had spent the rest of my weekend texting Kelly for updates and a lot of time crying and angry with myself. I wished it could be easy enough where Paige would just forgive me but I knew I didn't deserve that. The few times I had tried to talk to her the past couple of days she has just sluffed me off and ran the other way. She skipped Monday's swim practice, but it seemed like I was the only one who noticed. Aria and Hanna had been keeping close tabs on her as a request from Kelly. It bugged me that Kelly didn't ask me but I probably would have obsessed over everything Paige was doing more so than I already was.

It was now Thursday swim practice and I was having a particularly bad day. Paige had ignored me yet again, and Coach had called me into her office saying that my swim times needed to improve if I wanted to swim in next weeks meet. I had also failed my last Biology test and Mr Grant had pretty much told the entire class about my failure. All in all it was just an awful day and with everything going on lately, it was hard to keep the tears from falling.

The way Paige was being had me worried sick. Skipping swim practices and still hanging out with Shana had me worried sick. I wondered why her parents hadn't found out about this behavior but I was glad that they were clueless. That would only make things worse for Paige and I couldn't bear to see her in even more pain. Her pain reflected my pain and it was becoming this visious circle for me. The thing I was worried most about was the fact that it seemed like this was becoming a permanent thing for her. She was so cold with me and I was trying to accept the fact that she really just didn't care anymore. It was my own fault she was like this with me now and I was running out of ways to try and get her to let me in. She didn't want me anymore, in fact she was making it obvious that she just couldn't care anymore. It sucked for me, I really just wanted my old Paige back. I told her I would fight, but the closer I tried to get to her the more it seemed I was pushing her away.

I was just finished getting changed and was talking to Jess when Paige showed up and began changing. I couldn't help myself from stealing a few glances her way and she lifted her shirt up. I let out a loud gasp at what I saw. Tattooed on her right hip bone was a rough looking, intricately inked anchor with a rope wrapping around it. The tattoo was undeniably Paige and completely, murderously sexy. Paige was always sexy but this just took things to a different level for me. The tattoo wasn't just sexy, it complimented Paige's perfectly flat stomach and her prominent hip bones. The tattoo was just an accessory to her perfect body, placed in the perfectly intimate, yet tasteful location. I never had pictured Paige with a tattoo before, she didn't seem like the type of person to get one before, but now, the image of the anchor on her hip was burned in my mind for a life time.

I was letting my imagination get ahead of myself as I pictured running my thumb along that inked expanse of skin. Kissing my way down her body, spending extra time on that part of her body. I wanted to push her up against the lockers right now and just remind her how fucking hot she is. I wanted to show her what she was doing to me, how that tattoo was bitter sweet, leaving me wanting more.

"Emily?" Jess asked, turning to see what I was looking at. "Wow Paige! Nice tattoo." Jess complimented. Jess was the one other girl I had told that Paige didn't ruin the memorial. She had caught me in the locker room crying on Monday and I just ended up telling her. She said she believed me and that eventually it would work out because me and Paige loved each other. I wasn't so sure anymore. I was also genuinely frustrated she pulled me out of my daydream with Paige.

"Thanks" Paige mumbled before slipping her bathing suit on. _Damn_. I was turning into a complete dude in front of her. I was finding it hard to feel bad about that though. I finally looked up and caught her eyes. She was looked at my perplexedly. I continued staring into her eyes, "I did it while I was drunk last weekend in my friends basement, I'm surprised it turned out so well" Paige said to Jess, finally looking away from me. _There is was_. That kind of rattled me. I knew she said it to piss me off, and it did because it was dangerous and stupid of her. I shook my head at her and left the change room quickly. _Still didn't change how hot that tattoo is_.

Swim practice was awful. I was improving but still it wasn't my best effort and I left with Coach Fulton giving me a very stern look. She was obviously disappointed in me. I got changed in the bathrooms to avoid looking at Paige again and made my way out to my car. Chelsea and Megan were standing out there, looking at Paige's Jeep and snickering. I'd had it. I was being overly careful to avoid them until the time was right to accuse them of everything. I didn't want to make things worse for Paige and I didn't want her more upset with me. But right now, I was pissed at everything today and they were easy targets.

"Get away from there" I yelled. "She doesn't need you two fucking up her life more"

They looked at me in shock. "I thought you'd be thanking us for messing with her? After everything that happened.

That had me fuming. "I know it was you two! Don't deny it I found out the truth."

"It's about time you figured it out! It was really too easy to convince you that Paige had done it. Apparently you didn't love her that much after all. We barely had to—"

I had enough of talking. I ran at them, pushing Chelsea down and snapping my arm back to connect with Megan's jaw. I obviously wasn't a fighter but I was using my anger and fury with them to my advantage. It was to the point that I didn't even realise what my body was doing , I was just letting myself go, letting my anger out one the two girls that deserved this and so much worse. I was pretty sure I was losing but I really didn't care. I was screaming streams of profanities at them, yelling out all of my accusations and sending punches flying. I had no rhythm or anticipation of their counter movements. I was being a complete girl in this fight, just trying to get as much anger out as possible.

I could feel the pain and Megan landed a good hit to my jaw and right as I was about to retaliate I felt strong arms, literally pick me up from behind and carry me away. I was being carried away like a football in someones arms. I struggled and tried to squirm my way out of their grasp but my pleas were ignored until we reached the school. I focused for a moment and realized the person who swept me away from the fight was Paige. My heart fluttered at the fact that she was pulled me away like that.

Paige set me up right again, pushing me against the wall by the entrance and looking at me carefully for any injuries. I suddenly had no control over my body as I leaned into her, wrapping my arms around her neck and pressing my body fully against her. This was the closest I had been to her since everything had happened and I craved so much more.

"Are you alright?" She asked.

"Much better now" I mumbled. I wasn't exactly sure if this was real, or if Chelsea and Megan had just knocked me out cold but I was rolling with it now.

Paige stiffened and pulled away from me slightly. "Don't do that again" Paige muttered.

I looked at her intensely, "Do what?" I asked. Did she mean hold her tight like this? I couldn't agree to that because this moment was just imperfectly perfect right now.

"Don't fight them! They're not worth it." Paige's hand grazed over my jaw where Megan had landed a good hit. "You have too much to lose Emily."

"They deserve it though. And lately it has felt like I've already lost so much. What they did to you.. they can't just get away with it. They need to know, everyone needs to know that they won't get away with it" I replied. _It feels like I've lost you_.

"They might deserve it but I can't have you going around trying to give them what they deserve" My stomach flipped when she said _I can't have you.._ As if I was still hers. I smiled internally at that expression. "Don't act so stupid" Paige said roughly.

"So you're the only one that gets to act stupid then?" I asked. "I don't like that you're going around jeopardising your health and safety but you won't let me stop you" I accused.

Paige just laughed. "I don't really have much to lose anymore. Just don't fight them Emily. They aren't worth a second of your attention" I leaned in further to Paige but she just pushed away from me, running off in the direction of her car. I noticed Shana waiting for her there but even that couldn't take the smile off of my face.


	17. Chapter 17

**A\N- Hello again! Thanks as usual for all of your feedback, follows and favorites! Most people requested a shorter update so here it is.. and it actually didn't turn out TOO short. **

**Another big turning point in this chapter so... be ready. **

**Also in a few weeks I will become the busiest girl on the planet again so my updates will unfortunately be much less frequent. But I will try my best and hopefully I wont disappoint. **

**Loads of thanks to everyone who has been constantly giving me feedback and chatting with me about stories.. You all know who you are!**

** EndWorldPeas: You know the deal! **

**Emily's POV-**

I leaned back against the wall, still smiling from my little moment with Paige. All this time I was worried she couldn't care about me anymore and that little time with her proved that she still cared. She pulled me away from a fight because some part of her still wanted to protect me. I closed my eyes, touching my jaw, ignoring the pain and reminiscing in the feeling of her caressing it just moments ago.

"Emily? Earth to Emily hello?" Spencer waved her hand in front of my face.

"She still cares" I breathed.

"What are you talking about? Why did Paige just tell me to 'take care of you?'" My eyes focused on her again, asking the question. "I was walking to my car after debate club finished and she stopped me, telling me to find you here and make sure I take care of you." Spencer explained.

_So she definitely still cares_. Getting Spencer to find me, not wanting to leave me alone in case… "Paige still cares about me" I repeated.

Spencer looked at me. "Are you alright Emily? Should I call a doctor or something?" Spencer asked.

"I'm fine I just.." I was so happy it was making it hard to explain in words "I just got in a fight with Chelsea and Megan after the worst day at school and Paige pulled me away and told me not to. And she touched my cheek and she wants you to make sure I'm still okay! All this time I thought she was over me, hated me even but really she just…" I trialed off, grinning hugely again..

"You tried to fight Chelsea and Megan alone?" Spencer asked. I shot a glare at her. "Right not the point. Wow, I figured she might come around one day soon. Did she say anything to you about.. well figuring stuff out?"

"No." that was a little upsetting. "She just swooped in, carried me here, made sure I was alright and ran off. You know classic hero stuff?" I joked. "But she still cares Spencer! She's just being her beautiful, amazing, lovable, stubborn self." God Paige was stubborn. I could practically hear the fight she was having with herself right now about this situation.

"That would be Paige" Spencer agreed. "Now let's get some ice on that jaw before your hero comes and punishes me for not doing my job." Spencer took my hand and led me to my car. I was supposed to just give her a ride home today but she suggested we just stay at her house and fix me up so my mom didn't find out I was fighting at school.

I kept a ridiculous smile on my face the entire night with Spencer. I was so happy I had even called Hanna and Aria to tell them what happened. They both said it was a typical Paige thing to do and that I never should have doubted her feelings for me still existed.

"Emily are you going to try and talk to her or something?" Spencer asked later on in the night.

I thought about it for a moment. "I think I'm going to be patient, let her come to me you know? I just hope it doesn't take her too long." This entire week had just turned around in my mind. It still ached me to know she was fighting this hard with herself but I knew her well enough to know that she needed her time. I was willing to do whatever it would take to get her on the right track again. Getting back with her could wait so long as she took care of herself.

"Aria said she's still been hanging out with Shana a lot. I wish that girl would just stay in Oakwood"

"You and me both" I agreed.

Spencer was browsing her newsfeed on Facebook when an invitation to an event popped up. I watched as she opened it, from Noel Kahn. He was having a big party at his lake house tomorrow night. It looked like the entire school was invited and then some. Kahn always had the best parties. Everyone in Rosewood knew that. I wondered idly if Paige had gotten an invitation… probably not considering everyone still thought poorly of her. _Note to self, make sure everyone finds out the truth about that night_.

"So are we gonna go" I heard Hanna ask as she walked into Spencer's room, reading the message from her phone I guessed.

"Hanna" Spencer groaned. Spencer had this thing against these kinds of parties out of fear of getting busted for underage drinking. Apparently, stuff like that had a knack for ruining college applications.

"Oh come on Spencer! Live a little! I've wanted to go to this party since I found out about it!"

I rolled my eyes, "Hanna, you found out about it like two seconds ago" I pointed out.

Hanna whined. "Emily come on! You're sexy stud will probably be there, maybe you'll drink a little too much and she can swoop in and save you again" I immediately regretted calling Hanna this afternoon and telling her what happened.

"Sexy stud? _Really Hanna?"_ Sometimes the things that came out of my best friends mouth made me wonder. "And I'm not playing the damsel in distress card. Besides I doubt she'll even be there." As amazing as it would be for her to literally sweep me off my feet again I didn't want to play games with her. She needed to be ready and I was just going to be patient.

"Well she can swoop in and save me when I'm drunk as a skunk because I'm going to the party. And that party is so big I guarantee you Shana and her posse is going to be there." Hanna told me. I groaned. It was a little deal between the four of us that if one of us went to a party, we would all go. Safety in numbers, we called it. It had been that way since Allison died and more than a few times it had kept us out of trouble.

"Fine!" I agreed. "But you're bringing Caleb, and Toby because you know how these parties get. And I'm not drinking so we can leave whenever"

"Paaaarty poooper!" Hanna teased. "But that's fine. That just means the rest of us can get super drunk right?" Hanna asked.

I sighed. "Do whatever, Han. Just don't puke on my shoes… again." Spencer let out a laugh and Hanna just shrugged her shoulders.

**Paige's POV-**

"So what are we doing tonight?" I asked Shana as we entered my apartment. "Tattoos were last Friday, what's tonight? Face peircings? I joked.

"Actually, we're staying in Rosewood tonight for a party. Do you know Noel Kahn?" I nodded. Who in Rosewood didn't know Noel Kahn, the cocky jerk who always had something to say, usually about himself. "Well he's having a rager at his parents lake house tonight. It's only like a fifteen minute drive from here. We're all going." Shana told me.

"We were invited?" I asked. Noel Kahn, along with the rest of Rosewood still hated me, I hadn't even gotten invited to the 'rager'.

Shana smirked. "No, silly. It's called crashing. It's going to be so big nobody is even going to notice we're there. Plus, big parties mean lots of alcohol. Among other things…"

"I'm in" I agreed quickly. I needed a good night of nothingness after this week.

Emily was becoming more and more difficult to avoid lately. I had broke once this week already when I saw her fighting with Megan and Chelsea. I mean really, I couldn't just stand there and ignore Emily getting punched in the face, but I also wasn't going to let her fight with them over me. I would never allow Emily to fight anybody, no matter how much they deserved it. She was to great to get into trouble like that and I would die if she ever got hurt. Seeing Chelsea and Megan hitting her, even if Emily started it had infuriated me to a point where I had literally, just walked over, picked her up and carried her away from the fight. If it had been under any other circumstances, seeing her try and wriggle out of my grasp and screaming out protests would have been adorable but at that moment, I was on a mission. _Protect Emily. Make sure she's ok. _When we got far enough away I had set her down and she locked herself around me. In that moment it was all too much to fight. Feeling her slender body pressed against mine was something I had missed so much and now I had a little taste of that what we used to be. I pushed her back against the wall and forced myself to check her over for any injuries instead of kiss her all over. Our conversation was short, thanks to me. It had taken all of my self control to turn around and leave. Even then when I ran into Spencer I had to make her promise to go find Emily and take care of her. She needed ice and someone to let her cry it out. I was still too stubborn to be that person.

Avoiding her today had been easy. Without swim practice I didn't run the risk of having to see her alone so I went about my day trying to stay away from her. I wasn't sure exactly what was happening to me at this point. I was putting it to my instincts. Of course I still wanted to protect Emily, that was what I had always done. I was still pissed at everything and I wasn't exactly getting a handle on the situation. My emotions couldn't handle any more encounters with her.

"Good." Shana said, smiling devilishly, bringing me out of my Emily flashback. She had been great this week for keeping my mind off of Emily. I know everyone didn't like her but she was really helping me, I didn't care what other people thought about that. "You should show off that tat tonight though, let everyone see it"

"It's more for me than anybody else" I replied. What was I going to do? Go to this party in my bra?

"Doesn't mean people shouldn't know its there. Seriously Paige its so hot, you can't just hide it. You have to have a crop top or something you can wear.."

We spent the rest of the afternoon going through my wardrobe and finding the perfect outfit. Shana had wanted to go with a crop top and a pair of denim shorts but it was chilly out and I wasn't being the dumb girl at the party who didn't dress for the weather. We settled on a pair of light blue skinny jeans and a tight fitting black tank top that Kelly had left here. It was just a little bit too small, so it rode up over my hips, leaving the tattoo slightly exposed. Shana was a little more than satisfied, saying it was exactly 'me'. I had to agree that it looked pretty cool, not to obvious but anyone looking would see it.

We ate dinner at my apartment and hung out for a while until Damien, Tessa and Adam showed up, ready to go to Noel Kahn's lake house. Shana drove us all there, bringing us a tent to pitch just in case we got kicked out. I had a feeling they had all done this whole crashing thing more than a few times. By the time we arrived which was around 10, the place was already packed. Shana was right, nobody was going to notice we were here; this had to be the biggest party of the year.

"Told you" Shana smirked as she saw my awe struck expression. "Lets go inside and get some booze" Shana took my hand and led me into the cabin. We pushed our way through the packed crouds to the kitchen where an assortment of random alcohols were placed, ready for our taking. I remembered somewhere in the back of my mind learning that this was exactly the type of drinking you should avoid, the type where you don't know who's put what in what drink but tonight, I was just grateful I didn't have to buy any alcohol. I took a bottle of vodka from the counter and mixed it with what I hoped was cranberry juice. It seemed to work out so I smiled and began drinking.

We all just kind of hung out in the group, drinking, talking with a few random people who probably didn't go to Rosewood. They stuck with us for a good part of the night, mostly talking about getting super drunk, which I agreed to enthusiastically. I was pretty buzzed but it wasn't really enough to make me forget about the week I had with Emily.

_Think of the devil, _Out of the corner of my eye I saw her beautiful skin, her slim, curvy body standing awkwardly in the corner. She was watching me, I could tell by the way she suddenly looked away when I looked at her. Looking amazing, as always, but dressed simply in a pair of skinny jeans and a Danby hoodie. She was standing alone, but Hanna and Spencer weren't too far away along with their dates. Aria was also there, dancing goofily with Holden. Why else would Emily be at this party? Those girls always stuck together for things like this, which I was eternally grateful for because I knew Emily would always be safe. _There you go again Paige._

She was looking beautiful and sweet as always, so much so that I hoped she wasn't catching the attention of too many guys tonight. I glanced around the room to make sure nobody else was eying her up. I looked back to her and she was looked at me again, quirking her head to the side in question. I just stared at her and downed the rest of my drink. Having her here watching over me wasn't going to help me keep a clear mind tonight at all. When I finished she just shook her head slowly at me. I turned my back to her, throwing myself back into conversation with the group and starting another drink, which I finished quickly. I threw back drink after drink, more than I had done in a long time. I felt almost blank now, not quite enough to not know what was going on, but enough to pretty much feel nothing. Emily stayed in the same spot so far, not talking to anyone, just watching me and occasionally talking to her friends.

"Paige?" A tall, muscular boy asked. If I was looking at him objectively he was obviously very attractive but I only had eyes for one person at this party.

"mmmmm?" I replied. Trying to talk was becoming a little tough, especially when my mind was focusing on comparing this boy to Emily.

He reached out his hand for me and I took it, shaking his hand politely. I could feel him lingering his fingers with mine so I pulled away. "I said my name is Jeff. I'm an old friend of Adams he said I should introduce myself" This guy explained.

"mmm. S'good to meet you." I responded. I went to take a step back because we were standing a little too close for comfort but I stumbled so he put his hands on my shoulders, steadying me. I locked eyes with Emily, who was glaring at the guys hands like she was about to rip them off. I saw her begin to step forward but I shook my head at her. This guys was just being nice and making sure I didn't fall.

What was this game we were playing? It was like Emily was challenging me, pushing me to drink more the entire night. I should have made a drinking game where every time she looked at me I would drink. I would have been passed out drunk an hour ago at this rate. I looked away from her, focusing on the guy who was apparently talking to me.

"hmm what was that? Sorry" I asked.

He leaned down to talk in my ear, "I said would you like a drink?" He asked politely.

"Drink? Yeah lets go" I agreed. We walked to the kitchen and fixed ourselves a couple more drinks. I downed this one quickly as well, trying to forget my intense eye conversation I had with Emily a couple of minutes ago. It had started off innocent. This guy, his name was Jeff right? Just talking and babbling on about knowing Adam and Shana. Before I knew it he was holding my hand, trying to lead me away from the group. I told him I'd rather just hang out here and he agreed. Then, minutes later he put his arm around my waist, pulling me to him. I pushed him off, telling him that wasn't ok and he apologised. I was glad he realised it was a miscommunication and we went about drinking some more. I guess some guys just couldn't pick up signals right.

I continued drinking with the group again, talking to everyone around me. The last thing I remember is looking at Emily and seeing a look of complete concern on her face.

**Emily's POV-**

I didn't like this one bit. I was watching Paige the entire night, ready to step in when the time was right. She was pounding back drinks left and right and I didn't know how much more I could watch before taking her away from that awful group of people. It was an awful dance we were doing with each other. She pushed, I pulled. I pulled, she'd push away. When that awful boy put his hands on her shoulders I thought I was going to explode. No guys hands belonged on Paige ever. Especially not grimy drunk hands while Paige was obviously to drunk herself.

She gave me a look that said 'stay out of it'. Why did it have to be this difficult? Why did we have to go around trying to save each other instead of working together? All I wanted to do was go and wrap my arms around her and tell her how much I loved her. I wanted to kiss away her pain, I wanted to go and talk about everything, let her cry and let her know that I wouldn't ever let myself hurt her again. Instead I was standing here, in the corner of this party trying to protect her without getting pushed away again.

I watched as they walked off to the kitchen, and the rest of the group followed them shortly after. "Emily?" Aria asked. She had been watching me all night, trying to convince me to just let Paige be for the night but we both knew I couldn't do that. "Hey, don't cry ok?" I hadn't even realized I was. "Paige is just a little lost right now, she's going to be ok" Aria said. Always the voice of reason in our group, I really appreciated Aria for moments like these. I nodded and she gave a hug before wondering back to Hanna again. I decided to join them for the time being. I couldn't see Paige right now and I didn't want to actually follow her so I might as well do something distracting for a few minutes.

A little while later their little group wondered back into the room, obviously more drunk than they were before. I watched as Paige was stumbling along, that guy still close by her side, putting a supportive hand on her back. I watched that blank stare on her face and I wanted to cry again. I had never seen her like this before, it was disorienting. I could always tell where Paige was just by looking into her deep eyes. Those eyes said everything and right now, they were completely blank. I watched as the group talked for a little while until I noticed that guy putting his arm around Paige again. He reached up and brushed Paige's hair away from her face but Paige looked like she barely noticed he was touching her.

Every detail after that was burned into my mind. The way this guy tilted her chin up so she was looking at him, how he smiled menacingly (in my mind) at her, how Paige still didn't have a clue. Then he leaned in and kissed her. Not a sweet, gentle kiss like most kisses started. This boy was completely making out with her and Paige wasn't even responding. I watched in shock for a moment at how fast that had happened, and still again that Paige had no control of the situation. This guy was just moving his lips against hers, while she just stood there and let herself be taken advantage of. He slid his hands all over her body in the most inappropriate of ways and Paige was still blankly staring, like nothing was happening.

My body moved faster than my mind. By the time I realised what I was doing I had ran over to them and pushed the guy away. "What the hell are you doing?" He asked, trying to push me away. I just planted myself in front of Paige.

"Are you fucking kidding me!?" I asked. "She's obviously to drunk to function and you're just kissing her like its nothing!" I looked at Shana. "And clearly nobody else is looking out for her!" Shana just stared at me and shrugged her shoulders.

I turned around and looked at Paige who was staring at me in what seemed to be shock and confusion. "Come on, Paige. I'm taking you home." I took her hand and at first she tried to fight it. "You're not staying here, Paige. You need people that care about you" I tugged a little harder and like when that guy kissed her, she just let it happen. I pulled her along with me, trying to find one of my friends to let them know it was time to leave. Paige looked like she was becoming a little more aware and even a little responsive as I towed her through the cabin.

"No!" She suddenly yelled. I stopped and looked at her. "You can't take me home. You don't get to do this to me!" She yelled.

I knew she was too drunk to argue with but it still hurt. "Paige you need to go home. I'll just drop you off if that's what you want." I offered. I wanted to stay with her, hold her hair when she threw up in the morning and make her breakfast to make her feel better but only if she would have me.

"You don't get to do this!" She yelled again. "You can't care like this! I don't need this anymore" She pulled her hand away from mine and I let it go this time. I stared at her open mouthed and she just turned around and bolted the other way. I was momentarily frozen in place at the words that cut me so deep. She didn't need this anymore. Of course she didn't, I had ruined her life here in Rosewood, why would she want me looking out for her?

But if I wasn't looking out for her than who was? Paige could think she didn't need me all she wanted, but the truth was she needed _someone_. And I was going to be that person if it kept her out of trouble. No matter how much she hated it I had to be that person. _Sorry Paige, you're not allowed to push me away anymore. _I ran from room to room, searching for Paige but only finding nothing or in some cases, a few things I really didn't want to see.

"Emily?" Aria asked as she saw me searching around frantically. I sighed in relief when I noticed Paige was not with Shana and that group again, but I still hadn't found her. "What's wrong?"

"Aria do you see that guy over there?" I pointed at the boy who had kissed Paige earlier. Aria nodded. "He tried to take advantage of Paige. I need you to watch him and make sure Paige doesn't go near him. I can't find her." I spoke quickly while still searching around the room.

"Of course" Aria agreed. "I'll text you if I see her."

"Thanks. I'm going to find the others to help me look for Paige" I ran around the room, explaining to Toby, Holden, Caleb, Hanna and Spencer what had happened and to help me find Paige. Spencer and Toby went to look out on the deck while Caleb, Hanna and Holden searched various rooms inside.

I went straight to Shana, the only other person who might have been paying attention to where Paige went. As soon as I approached her, she put her back up. "I'm not here to argue Shana I just need your help." I explained. She quirked her head to the side, laughing a little at me. "Did you see where Paige went? Seriously I'm not kidding around, I need to know" I explained.

Shana shook her head. "Hasn't been here since you pried her lips away from that guy over there" I winced at that. "She couldn't be too far though, I drove tonight so she couldn't have left"

I really appreciated that Shana hadn't messed around with me. "Thanks Shana." I continued looking around, asking a few people I knew if they had seen Paige anywhere. I tried calling her a few times but she ignored the calls every time. _God damn it Paige where are you?_ I wasn't leaving this party until I got her home safe.

My friends returned, saying they looked but couldn't find her either. It was understandable considering how packed the place was but none the less frustrating. I asked a few more people, making sure nobody had seen her leave with anybody but nobody had any answers. I guess nobody watched Paige's every move like I was doing.

The next hour was killing me. I still hadn't seen her here and it was driving me insane. Aria suggested to we wait until people started clearing out so we could find her. I was thankful at how supportive my friends were being. I knew Paige didn't want to be found and that's what was making this so difficult. I would have figured my friends would have told me to give up for the night but they remained by my side, ready to help me.

I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket and I hastily pulled it out and checked the caller I.D, sighing in relief. _Paige_. "Paige? Hey are you there?"

I heard nothing but Paige's deep breathing. It sounded like she had just run a marathon or something. "Paige?" I asked again.

There was a long silence but there was no possible way I was disconnecting this phone call. "Emily" Paige cried out. She sounded so scared. If I hadn't been so relieved she had called me then I would have collapsed at the sound of terror in her voice.

"Paige it's me. Where are you? What's going on?" I asked. I needed to find her.

"Emily I need you" Paige's voice broke and I could hear her sobs. My heart ached in my chest. She needed me, I was going to be there for her no matter what. It wasn't even a question. Paige had said she needed me, then I _needed_ to help her. This moment felt bitter sweet. She needed me, but I also had no idea where she was. And the fact that she felt like she had to call me for help scared me a little bit. She hadn't got into any trouble had she?

"You have me Paige. Where are you?" I asked, listening intently for her answer.

"I just need you!" She cried again. It was painful hearing her sound like this but hearing her voice at all was better than nothing.

"I know sweetie. Just tell me where you are and I'll come and get you ok?" I could tell she was still drunk so I tried saying things that would only make her feel better. "We can go wherever you want ok? Just tell me where you are?"

"I…" Paige's voice broke. "I don't know" She whispered. "Emily…" and then the line went dead.

**Paige's POV- **

_I feel my feet moving through muddy, wet terrain. I'm numb but I feel the chill of the December night as I sprint as fast as I can. I know this place. Somewhere in my mind I remember being here before. I push faster, trying to run from everything. Maybe, if I run fast enough, I can escape the turmoil in my mind. It's felt like I've been running for forever. What was a running from? Oh right. Everything. I felt my feet moving faster again until I caught something in my foot and went face to ground. It was wet and cold. My pants and T-shirt were soaked and I felt a twisting pain in my ankle. I felt my body pulling itself up again only to fall back down. Maybe this is where I belonged. It must be if I can't get up. I collapsed to the cold ground again, curling my body up and letting everything I had ran from catch up with me. I saw a blinking light and realized it was my phone. _Battery-5% Find a power source_. Who would find me now? Maybe this was how my life was supposed to be. For the first time ever, I wondered if anybody would fine me. Would anybody care if I just stayed here? No. _

_With shaky hands I looked at my dying life line. I saw several missed calls and texts from Spencer, Hanna, and Emily. Even a few texts from Toby. _

_"Paige?" I heard Emily's voice. Emily. Had I called her? Apparently I had. "Hey are you there?" Her voice sounded worried. _

_I couldn't respond. My head was spinning so fast I couldn't figure out if this was even real. Why would Emily sound so afraid. _

_"Paige?" She asked again. _

_"Emily" I sobbed. _

_"Paige its me. Where are you? What's going on?" _

_I don't know I don't know. My mind was spinning again. My body was tired and my skin was cold. What was happening to me? I could feel my lips moving but I didn't know what was coming out. _

_"You have me Paige" I heard a voice whisper. No I don't. _

_"I know sweetie" My heart pounded a little faster. I felt my mind spinning faster with it. "Just tell me where you are?" The angelic voice asked. _

_Emily… _

**A/N- The cliff hanger was the price to pay for the faster update. My bad. **


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N- Hello all, another quick update for today. This was originally only half of the chapter but I figured splitting it into two updates this week would be nicer. That being said, this chapter just kind of ends and that might be a little frustrating so I'm sorry that there's no real answers at the end, I promise it will all tie in and things will be more resolved in the next chapter**

**This is all Emily's POV which I don't do a lot of so I hope you enjoy it. Writing Emily has always been a challenge for me so I really hope its ok. **

**I know I owe some people some responses to reviews and I'm sorry I haven't quite got around to it. All I can say is thank you to everyone who does review for now I really am happy you're all liking the story. **

**Paily moments are coming back soon, I know I owe a lot of them after this lengthy mess but they are coming so I hope I'm not losing you all! **

**Goal of this chapter? Get your feelings on..**

* * *

**Emily's POV- **

"Paige?" I screamed into the dead line. "PAIGE!" I knew it was useless. The call had ended. I tried again and again to call her back, needing to know where she was so I could find her and take care of her. None of my calls went through. She was drunk, lost, lonely and scared and that made for a bad combination. With shaky fingers I sent her a desperate text message, pleading her to tell me where she was. The text message didn't deliver. She was either in a no service area or her phone had died. _Shit shit shit!_

"Emily?" Aria asked, putting her hand over mine. "She's not going to answer"

"you don't understand I have to find her! She's drunk and she sounded so afraid and alone. I don't know where she is Aria but I think she's in trouble" I cried.

Aria took my phone from my shaking hands, placing back in the pocket of my hoodie. "Hey, calm down for a second and think ok?" I looked at her and nodded. I couldn't just curl up and cry right now, I had to be strong and find Paige. "Now, explain to me what happened completely." The rest of the group, including the guys gathered around us, waiting for me to speak.

"I'll start from the beginning of the night. She's drunk, I mean like black out drunk I could tell by her eyes she's not seeing anything!" God that scared me so much. "And then that scum! He was all over her and she was just standing there, obliviously letting him make out with her" I shuddered as I recalled the events. "I pushed him off of her and dragged her away, insisting on taking her home. She just freaked out! She yelled at me and bolted. I didn't see where she went and that's when I got you guys to look for her." My friends nodded. They were with me up until this point. "That was over an hour ago. Nobody has seen her in over an hour and she's so drunk."

"What happened on the phone Emily?" Toby asked.

"She called me. I was so happy to hear her voice but that all stopped when she—she sounded so _afraid_. She was panting, I think she ran away, like literally ran away. That girl needs to stop running. But she sounded like she was in so much pain and she said that she needed me and.. and" My voice finally broke out into a cry.

"And what Emily?" Caleb asked.

"The line just went dead. I don't have a clue where she is and she's in this state and she could be injured… and have you realise how cold it is out tonight? She was only in a T-shirt!" That scared me even more. She could get hypothermia if she was exposed to this weather for a long period of time. All the more reason to find her. "Maybe we should call the police!"

"Slow down Emily." Hanna said. "She's Paige. That girl has like mad survival skills." Hanna joked.

I shook my head. "No you don't get it! She said she needed me Hanna. You know how stubborn she is, with everything that's happened she wouldn't have come to me unless she was really in trouble."

Hanna was about to argue but Spencer put her hand up, stopping her. "Emily's right. We can't downplay this anymore, Paige needs help. Plus, I saw how drunk she was, Emily. I think she could be in serious trouble if she's out in the woods or something."

"That's the thing" I agreed. "I don't know _where _she is. She never told me. I don't think she even knew herself. I don't know how far she could have gotten in an hour."

"Well if she was that drunk…" Caleb suggested.

The girls and I shook our heads. "It's Paige." We said together. If Paige was determined, she could do anything. "Damn her and her fitness levels" Hanna muttered.

"she isn't the one who you should be damning." I mumbled, more to myself than anyone.

Toby came over and took my hand, "Now's not the time for that Emily. Let's just focus on finding her. There's seven of us. We can split up. Just think for a moment, where would she most likely go?" Toby looked around at everyone, trying to get some ideas. I put my chin up, Toby was absolutely right. We could search for her, I would search for her until I found her, I didn`t care how long it would take.

Everyone looked to me. Of course. I knew Paige better than all of them. "umm… well there's a few places. Someone should check her apartment, just in case she found a way home. And I mean look on the roads while you're on the way there, in case she's walking. I doubt that was where she was headed though."

Aria nodded. "Where else?" she pressed.

"Well, theres the pool." I shuddered again at the thought of a very drunk Paige near water alone. "and then there's the woods. But who knows if she took the trails. I know Noels cabin is near the ending of the trail Paige likes to run. She usually runs the shorter loop that starts in town but It's the same trail that leads here. I could start there" As I reasoned it out, it had make perfect sense. If I knew Paige, she would have taken that trail.

"How far is the trail ending from here?" Caleb asked.

Ugh! I didn't know. It would be no use to go around the path Noels Cabin was on just to find some trail head that maybe didn't even end here.

"I know the trails like the back of my hand." Toby added. "Are you talking about the Chestnut trail?" I nodded. _That was it, that's the one! _"Alright I know exactly where that is, I'll go. The rest of you can split up and try other places. I can run through that trail pretty quickly." Toby turned to leave but I caught his arm. He looked at me in question.

"I'm coming with you." I said firmly. I was holding all hopes that Paige was in the woods now and I needed to be the one to find her. She needed _me. _

Toby looked at me seriously for a moment. "Ok. Let's go." He agreed. "The rest of you should split up and try the other places. Call us if you find her" Toby took my hand, stopping at his car to grab a couple of flashlights. From there, we went jogging down the dirt road until we reached the Chestnut trail.

"Emily." Toby stopped for a moment. "I need to warn you that.. if we find her in here, it might not be pretty. Can you keep it together?" He asked. "For Paige?"

I nodded confidently. I didn't have a choice. "I'll be fine as long as we actually find her." We began jogging again and Toby began explaining the trail.

"This trail leads from Rosewood up here, but there's a loop about halfway through that just leads back to Rosewood. It's not as long. But it's about an hour's jog to get back to Rosewood from here. I don't think Paige would have made it that far in her state"

"I wouldn't count on that idea. Paige runs these trails every day. She knows where they go and if she was determined…" I trailed off.

"Let's just keep moving." Toby insisted. "It's also pretty muddy."

It was also freezing. The woods were significantly colder than anywhere else and it only drove me to jog faster, in hopes of finding Paige sooner. I was starting to doubt myself now. What if she hadn't taken the trails at all? Maybe she just sprinted in some random direction in the deep of the woods. I'd never find her if she'd done that. What if she wasn't in the woods at all? Where else would she be? Maybe I didn't know her as well as everyone thought.

No. I couldn't think like that. That's what got me into this whole mess in the first place. I didn't trust my better judgment before and because of that Paige suffered. I had to finish her suffering once and for all. _She needed me. _

We'd been jogging (pretty much running) at a fast pace for about thirty minutes and it was finally beginning to take its toll. Running in the cold like this was exhausting on the lungs not to mention my emotional exhaustion. Everyone else had texted, saying there was no sign of Paige anywhere. They had all begun searching random places while me and Toby continued running through the woods.

"Alright Emily you need to take a break" Toby finally said, slowing his jog to a walk. I slowed with him and my panting sped up as I finally gave in to the physical exhaustion. "Let's just walk for a little bit ok?" I knew he wasn't as tired and he was doing this mostly for me. It sucked, made me feel weak. I wanted nothing more than to find Paige, I should be stronger. I should be more like Paige.

"Thanks" I said once my breathing evened out. We were walking at a fast pace still, but it felt much better than the run before. I was still searching diligently through the woods for any signs of my beautiful girl's body. Still nothing. We walked for about another ten minutes before I finally let out an angry yell.

"I know Emily" Toby sympathised. "Just try to stay positive"

_"How?" _I asked. "It's no use! Ugh I can't believe what this night has turned into" I yelled. "God damn it Paige where are you!" I yelled again.

That's when I heard a whimper. Toby must have heard it to because he was instantly more alert. We both shot into action, searching around with our flashlights, looking for an indication of where that noise came from. It was so strangled and strange is could have been anything but I held up hope that it was Paige. We looked at each other and looked around the area we were standing at diligently with our flashlights.

There she was, curled up on the ground about 20 yards in front of me. I felt my stomach drop at the sight of her. Another bitter sweet moment, I had found her, but the condition I had found her in was heart wrenching. I could see from here she was shivering violently, her arms caked in mud and her face covered by her hair. "Paige" I called. She didn't move at all and I felt my stomach drop to my feet again. _Please be alright. _I sprinted over to her, Toby following behind me. "Call my friends." I managed to squeak out, before turning my full attention to my Paige.

I finally reached her, throwing myself to the ground beside her and rolling her over. Her skin was freezing and as I reached to touch her face, I noticed her lips going blue. I cupped her cold face delicately in my hands, trying to warm her. I leaned into her as much as possible, hoping she could feel me here. Her eyes were squeezed shut, and I remembered how this all happened. She was drunk and obviously not aware of what was happening around her right now. Not to mention cold, and scared, and probably at this point in shock. I dipped my lips close to her ear, hoping to get through to her. I needed her to open her eyes so I could look into those expressive orbs and know she was still with me.

"Paige" I whispered. I breathed in her sent which ached my soul. I had missed this so much, it felt like so long since I had touched her wonderful face. And to think I could have lost it all tonight, had I not been more observant. "Paige wake up please"

I heard a whimper escape her mouth and it pained me. She was in pain right now, and I didn't know how I could take it away. "no!" Paige strangled out. "Don't hurt me… please!" She cried. I didn't know where she thought she was right now but it was obvious she was in terror. She began shaking even more and raising her fists like she was trying to fight off whatever was hurting her.

This was going to haunt me forever. "Paige, baby its me. It's Emily. I'm here, I've got you" I stroked her face again, feeling it warm beneath my touch. Paige whimpered again, tossing and turning violently until I moved my hands from her face, putting them firmly on her shoulders. "Toby!" I called. "Call 911 I don't know what's wrong with her"

Paige's eyes suddenly leered open widely in horror. Those expressive eyes still told me she had no clue what was happening, probably not even here in her own mind. She probably couldn't even see me right now. "NO!" She screamed loudly. "NO HOSPITALS PLEASE!" she choked out. Toby looked at me desperately and I shook my head. I couldn't deny her anything right now, even in this state.

"I'll have Spencer call Wren. He can meet us at the trail head." Toby reasoned. That sounded like the perfect compromise.

Paige's eyes were closed again. Instead of tossing and turning, she laid completely still, probably finally given in from the exhaustion. I ran my hands along her body, melting every time I felt her skin. "I can't believe I found you" I whispered. I leaned over her and placed kisses on her face. I pressed on soft kiss to her lips, completely unable to resist. "I love you so much Paige. Please come back to me." I remembered how cold her body was when she began shivering violently again. I looked at her shirt as I felt it and realised how soaked it was. She must have fallen into a puddle or something. I stripped my Danby hoodie off, feeling the bite of the cool winter night in my T-shirt for the first time. I couldn't believe Paige had endured this for more than an hour. I gently pried her shirt from her body, lifting it over her dead weight head and arms before slipping my hoodie through her arms and pulling it down. I squeezed her hand gently and felt a soft squeeze in return. She breathed deeply, taking in the scent of my sweater and sighing. "Emily" She murmured.

Hearing my name from her lips made my heart melt. "I'm here sweetie. You're going to be alright. I promise I won't let anything happen to you" I soothed her. "We're just going to get you home ok?" Paige didn't respond but I felt her grip on my hand tighten slightly.

Toby leaned down next to us. "Wren is going to meet us with Spencer at the trail head in Rosewood. It's not too far from here, maybe another 20 minutes of walking. He's going to make the call of whether she needs to go to the hospital or not. I told him about all of the alcohol and he said that's a big concern. If its alcohol poisoning she may need a ventilator. How's her breathing?" Toby asked. He put his hand over her mouth, feeling for her breath. I watched intently and saw her breathing was a little irregular but not so much to alarm me.

"Lets get her up" Toby suggested. He swung his arm under her back, the other one beneath her legs before gingerly lifting her up, cradling her to his body. I stood up with him, her hand still holding tightly to mine, I reached and grabbed her other hand, putting it around Toby's neck to he wouldn't be carrying dead weight completely. I couldn't let go of her other hand though.

"Careful" I warned Toby. I didn't know how hurt Paige was right now.

Paige began to stir. "Try and stay still Paige" Toby asked. Paige only stirred more as Toby began walking.

"No!" Paige whimpered. "Please stop" _What was she saying? _"NO!" she let out a scream. "Don't hurt her! Don't touch her! Emily!" Paige wrenched her hand from mine, trying to punch Toby but it was useless. She wasn't even able to make a fist and she only made contact with his chest once.

"Paige!" I soothed, cupping one of her half fisted hands with mind, rubbing it softly. "I'm ok. Nobody is hurting me honey. I'm right here. Do you understand?" Paige clasped my hand again, squeezing tightly and that's how we walked. The journey to the trail head was so slow. Paige had lost it a few more times, each time it seemed harder and harder to calm her down and I couldn't figure out why. Every time we stopped I caressed her gently and placed kisses to her face, trying to coax her to wake up and become aware of what was happening. It usually calmed her down, which made me feel good knowing somewhere in her subconscious mind she knew she was safe with me, but at the same time she wasn't waking up, and it was hard seeing her go through whatever this was in her mind alone. I just wanted her to know I was here fighting and never giving up. Finally I couldn't take it anymore. We were almost there and Paige was squirming again.

"Give her to me" I opened my arms up to take Paige and carry her the rest of the way. I needed to feel her against me and from what I could tell, she needed me too. Toby shot me a curious look but complied, placing Paige gently into my arms. I struggled for a moment but she locked her arms around my neck tightly and rested her head into my chest. I could feel her warm breaths over my heart and it calmed me. I could easily carry her the rest of the way knowing she was safe and relaxed in my arms. I pressed my face to her cheek momentarily, breathing in her scent, relishing in the feeling of being close to her like this again. When she recovered from this it would be impossible to leave her. I wasn't going to. When she woke up I had to beg for her to let me in her life again. I couldn't be without her. The pull was too much and the heightened emotions over what she was dealing with right now made me selfish. I needed to be the one she needed. I had to be this one to pull her from this thing she was doing. I would do whatever Paige wanted to earn her trust again. However long that took, I would do it, as long as she let me be a part of her life, I could do it.

I kissed her forehead and began picking up the pace, needing to get her to warmth and safety soon. She was still shivering, I could feel it vibrate through me, but it was much less than before which was comforting. Paige was slightly bigger than me more filled out with lean muscle, making it a bit of a struggle to carry her in my arms. I wasn't Paige, I couldn't just pick a girl up and carry her away from the danger, I had to struggle with it. It gave me time to think about the reasons I was carrying her heavy in my arms. What I had done in the first place. I felt my silent tears stream down my face as I carried on. As if some part of Paige knew, she unclasped one of her hands from around my neck and cupped my cheek, rubbing her thumb along my cheek bone soothingly. I wanted to laugh, even in this broken, drunken state Paige was still able to wipe my tears away, just like she used to.

"We're almost there Emily" Toby whispered, reminding me that he was there. He was respectfully silent the entire way since we found Paige, I had to thank him for doing this later, I wouldn't have been able to get through this without him. I could see the lights of the town not too far in front of me. Then I saw Wren and Spencer standing in front of Wren's van head lights, waiting for us to reach them. I picked up the pace, needing to get Paige looked after. She began squirming again, groaning a little bit like she might have been in pain.

"Wren!" I called as I approached him and Spencer. He had a serious, concerned expression on his face. He was in doctor mode, not something I was used to seeing. He usually had his typical charming smirk but the sight of Paige limp in my arms brought on that professional side of him. He looked at her as I held her against me still.

"Open the trunk, Spencer" Wren asked quickly. At this point I was pretty much expecting a 'stat' added to the end of that sentence. Wren wasn't messing around tonight.

Spencer obliged and I saw the seats were folded down to make a large enough space for Paige to lay down, almost like a make shift ambulance without all of the other comforts. With some help from Wren I got Paige in the van, where she laid flat on her back. I moved in behind her, sitting up against the back of the seats in front and pulling her head back so she could use my lap as a pillow. Wren climbed in as well and began checking her over. He watched her breathing for a moment, forced her eyes open and flashed some light in them, and her pulse before doing a complete check over of her body. As he was doing this, Toby explained how we found her, and her outbursts of panic as we carried her here.

"She's cold" He murmered. "She's shivering which is a good sign but even so…" he trailed off. "Spencer turn the heat up"

"I can't tell for sure, I don't have the equipment to do the right tests but I think she'll be alright if she sleeps this off. She's panicked though. Something has her in a state of severe stress. If these panic attacks get her heart rate up while the alcohol is decreasing it…"

"you _think_ she's going to be alright?" I hissed. "I don't like this."

Wren sighed. "And it looks like she has a sprained ankle. Your friend here, she's the one who has a distaste for hospitals right?" I nodded. Wren sighed. "That could make the panic attacks worse if we took her there. She's going to be alright, if we can keep her calm enough until we get back to the barn, she can stay there and I can give her a mild sedative once we get some water into her. I can monitor her from there and she should be alright" I didn't like the amount of uncertainty in which Wren was speaking.

"What would happen if we…" I trailed off, not wanting to say the word 'hospital' in front of Paige.

Wren shook his head. "It could set her off again. You see, the alcohol is slowing her heart rate, not at a dangerous level, but enough to be noticeable. It's part of the reason she's so in and out of consciousness right now. But from what I can see she's also having minor panic attacks. I don't know what's going on through her mind right now but she's scared and her body is entering a synaptic stress response. Every time one of these panic attacks happen, her heart rate is speeding up. With the alcohol slowing it down and her body speeding it up, it could lead to… complications." Wren finished. "She needs to stay calm to prevent this. I have some Lorazepam at the barn, it's a very mild sedative. She needs to get some uninterrupted rest to wade off the alcohol, and avoid her mind from whatever she's going through" Wren sounded more sure as he explained it out loud and I closed my eyes and nodded.

"Let's get her back there then." I agreed. Wren nodded and climbed out of the trunk, closing it behind him before getting into the driver's seat while Spencer and Toby shared the passengers.

Wren wasted no time in getting back on the road towards the Hastings property. "Keep her calm, Emily. You seem to be helping more than anything. Maybe just keep talking to her, if she can hear your voice, it could help her ground herself, feel safe"

"Ok" I croaked out. I moved my lips down to her ear, placing a soft kiss there before talking. "Paige it's me again." I whispered. "I just want you to feel me here ok? Focus on my voice. You're safe now, sweetie. I'm going to take care of you. You are _not _alone. You're never going to be alone, you will always have me ok? I don't know what you think is happening right now but it's not real. You're not alone. I'm here. Remember when you said you needed me? I'm here now, you have me ok?" Paige didn't stir, but that was a good sign if I was going by Wren's terms. "You know what I love about you? I mean besides everything you ever do, the big reason? I really can't explain it. But do you remember when I was upset when I hadn't heard from my dad? That's the day I really knew I would never stop loving you. You were completely selfless that day, you just picked me up and put the pieces back together without even really trying. You never pressured me to stop crying or told me something just to make me feel better. You were so honest and just _there_. You distracted me in the best of ways. I loved you before that day but when you told me those stories, those two beautiful stories I knew there was no going back. Because those stories tell everything I love about you. Everything I will never be able to describe in words is embedded in the stories you told me when I was lost. Who you are is what I love about you Paige. And you're never going to lose that love from me" I finished. I kissed from her ear down to her chin softly, barely grazing the skin beneath my lips. I wished her mind could really hear what I had just confessed, but there was still no response from her, not even a squeeze of a hand. I ran my hands up and down her body soothingly, willing her to feel me here.

"We're here" Toby stated, pulling me from my thoughts that were spoken only to Paige.

Wren drove the van around the yard to the Barn door, where he and Melissa were living. Toby opened the trunk and with help from Wren, pulled Paige forward and scooped her up in his arms again. Spencer was already holding the door open for them and they busted through, carrying Paige to the guest bedroom. Toby set her down on the double bed and I rushed to her side, taking one of her hands.

"Spencer, go grab a pair of bottoms for Paige from Melisa's things, her jeans are soaked and it's not helping her warm up." Wren ordered. Spencer nodded and left the room in a hurry.

"Toby, I need you to go to my office and grab my medical kit. It's a red duffel it should be by the door you can't miss it. Then go to the medicine cabinet in the bathroom and find the bottle of Lorazepam." Wren instructed. "It should be on the second shelf." Toby also left the room.

Wren kneeled down at the end of the bed and began removing Paige's shoes. He started with the right one which came off easily but her other shoe wouldn't loosen enough with the swelling from her ankle. "Damn it" he cursed. Toby dropped off the medical bag before running back out of the guest room, for the medication. Wren took out a pair of medical scissors and cut through Paige's shoe and sock all together. Paige was going to be pissed that her Reeboks were ruined but I would happily volunteer to purchase a new pair for her. I gasped at how swollen and bruised her ankle was. "Don't worry Emily." Wren started. "Swelling is always worse when your system has alcohol in it. The sprain is minor by the looks of it."

I nodded thoughtfully. I idly wondered if Wren was only saying that to keep me calm but even if so, I appreciated it for the time being. Spencer returned with a pair of pajama pants. "Sorry, I had to go to the house, Melissa and her scrawny ass had nothing that would fit Paige's body" Spencer muttered. It was funny because Spencer wasn't much better but the pair of track pants she handed me were actually a pair of mine that I must have left here. "Figured Paige might like these ones" Spencer smiled slyly.

Wren reached up and began unbuttoning Paige's jeans, trying to get the cold damp material off of her body sooner rather than later. That made Paige snap. "Get off me!" She screamed. All of us, even Wren jumped at the sound of her strangled voice. We had all figured she was completely out by now from her unresponsiveness for the last 20 minutes but apparently some part of her mind was still trying to fight for her life.

"Don't do this… no not _again!" _she whimpered. I felt like I was going to throw up again at the implications of what she was saying. Was she thinking about Trevor right now? She must be so terrified. Wren immediately backed away, looking at me desperately. I understood immediately what he wanted me to do. Wren raised his hands, motioning for Spencer to back away, moving towards the door with her. "I'm going to go help Toby look for the medicine" She stated over Paige's groaning. I could tell seeing Paige like this was taking a toll on her as well. It was disorienting for all of us.

Wren looked at me and nodded. Staying near the door, as not to interfere with whatever was happening to Paige. "Paige, sweetie stop." I said soothingly. "You're alright." I knelt beside her bed and touched her cheek gently. "It's just me here, I won't let anybody hurt you." I ran my hand soothingly along her stomach. "Can you give me a sign? You're safe ok? I promise nothing will hurt you." I cooed. "I need to take your jeans off ok? You're shivering. But its only me. I'm only taking care of you" I whispered softly. I pressed a kiss to her temple after her whimpering and groaning stopped. She returned to that unresponsive state again and I breathed a sigh of relief. I put my hand over her heart and felt its beating slowing down again. I ran my hand down her stomach softly before reaching the zipper of her jeans. I pulled it down carefully, watching her face for any signs of panic but she remained still and quiet. I pulled the damp denim down, struggling with the material that was hugging and chafing her muscular legs. I looked to Wren desperately and he slowly approached, carefully helping me pull the material from her body. I let him pull the left leg down, so I didn't cause any harm to her ankle. Wet skinny jeans are impossible, Wren finally gave up and cut a slit in the tight material bunched around her calf, pulling it off the rest of the way. "I'm going to have to take her on a shopping spree after you're done with her" I mumbled.

Wren chuckled at me before passing me my track pants that, with much less effort than the jeans I was able to put on her. Wren began going to work wrapping up her ankle as Toby and Spencer returned to the room, warily hovering by the door before Wren waving them to come in. Spencer had an icepack which Wren took, placing it over her ankle, smiling at her for the thought. Spencer also placed a large cup of water and a water bottle on the bedside table. Toby was holding a prescription bottle of the sedative Wren was asking for.

A look of consternation washed over Wren as he took the bottle. "What?" I asked. "Is it not the right stuff?" I would go tear apart the medicine cabinet until I found the thing that would calm Paige down.

Wren shook his head. "It's the right stuff. Spencer, Toby, can you go fill up a bucket of warm water so we can wash the mud from Paige's hands and face. I want to be able to see the color of her skin better" He explained. The agreed and left the room again.

That same look crossed Wrens features again. "What is it Wren? Is she alright?" I gave her a once over, trying to pin point if anything had changed.

Wren just nodded. "She's stable. Remember before? How I was explaining the effects of her heart rate being slow and the panic attacks trying to speed it up?" I nodded, wondering where he was heading with this. "Emily I need you to understand that the sedatives, should I not give her an appropriate dosage may have the opposite effect. Sedatives and alcohol aren't meant to be mixed. If I give her too much…" I understood. If the dosage was wrong her heart rate could slow too much, she could slip into a comma. But if he didn't give them to her at all, she could slip into a comma anyway from the counterbalance of stress and alcohol.

"Ideally, I mean if we took her in, they would hook her up to a ventilator to regulate the breathing while they did this. But we can't get her there or else she might…" Wren was trying to decide himself what to do. We were stuck. Try to get Paige to the hospital, she panics and becomes unstable. Not give her the dosage at all, she panics and becomes unstable. Give her the wrong dosage at home, she stops breathing and we don't have the equipment to control it. Either way it was a risk I wish I didn't have to take with her.

"Is there anything we can do? To watch her breathing?" I asked.

Wren shook his head. "Not diligently enough. Changes can be sudden, or so slight we miss it. I'm going to leave the medication on the desk for now." I cringed. I didn't want to see Paige go through another fright. "I know Emily, it's hard seeing her like this. If it happens again, we'll give her the pill. You seem to be able to calm her down though, that's good. In an hour or so, if we can get a bit of water into her I can give her the dose and she should be fine. What time do you think she stopped drinking at?"

"Just before midnight. She didn't drink an excessive amount, well I mean considering. But it was a lot for such a small amount of time" I answered. I was very glad for many reasons that I was watching her so closely tonight. I looked at the clock and it was 2:30. At one point this night was never ending, but the time seemed to pass so quickly all the same.

Wren nodded. "It should be plenty safe if she can make it though the hour. 3:30 Emily. I'll give her the dose at 3:30. Until then, I'll stick around and keep a watch on her. You can get some rest if you'd like" He offered.

I shook my head firmly. There was no way I was getting any sort of sleep until Paige was in the clear. Toby and Spencer returned with a small bucket of water, a wash cloth and a towel. I took them all and knelt beside the bed again, taking the cloth and rubbing it softly over Paige's face. It wasn't too dirty, but there we a few scrapes on her forehead that needed to be cleaned. As I was cleaning her hands, I spoke quietly to Spencer.

"Hanna and Aria are here" Spencer stated. "They're going to stay in the house tonight, give you and Wren some space. Me and Toby are going to do the same. Let me know if you need anything at all ok?" She asked.

"Spence?" I asked. She looked at me, waiting for me to continue. "Can you call my mom? Explain to her what happened. Tell her everything and tell her why I won't be home in the morning. She'll be worried too so just let her know I'll call her when everything is alright again. Let her know Wren is looking after her or else she'll be here and drag Paige to the…" I stopped myself. "Tell her I'll see her tomorrow" I finished.

Spencer nodded. "Absolutely. Your mom is going to lose it that this happened" I nodded in agreement. I just hoped she wouldn't take it out on me, although I deserved it. "She loves Paige too. We all do, we just _really _messed up" Spencer admitted, turning on her heels and leaving the room.

For anyone who didn't know Spencer, she probably sounded bigheaded. But that small statement to me meant a lot. It meant she was accepting that this was partly her fault and that we messed up. I had never seen Spencer do that before, meaning she really did feel awful about it.

I finished washing Paige's arms and Wren took the bucket back to the kitchen. He came back in and sat on the chair near the door, remaining silent as I stayed kneeling beside the bed. 3 o'clock, only a half hour until Paige could have the sedative. I took the rolled back covers and placed them over her legs, leaving her upper half exposed for now. I pulled her arms, leaning her head against the backboard so she was in a somewhat sitting position. I took the water glass from the table. "Sweetie, I'm going to give you some water ok? Can you swallow it for me?" I gently tipped the water glass to her mouth, giving her slow, small sips which she swallowed easily. Her body must have needed water. I did this for another five minutes until the glass was empty. I looked back to Wren who was smiling, obviously happy she wasn't rejecting the fluids. 25 more minutes. I gently pushed her back into a laying position and continued caressing her face and gently playing with her hands.

To the best of luck, she remained calm until 3:30 and Wren gave her what he calculated to be the best dose of the sedative to her, to keep her from anymore panic attacks for the night. He said he would be back to check every half hour, but from here on in, she wouldn't be waking up anymore until the meds wore off. He left the room and left me to the silent, now evenly breathing of Paige. I stayed by the bed watching her for a moment until I couldn't take it anymore. I needed to feel her breathing, feel her wrapped safe in my arms so I knew she would be ok. I knew I was being pathetic and needy and selfish but I didn't care. Paige was now safe and I needed to feel like she still needed me just for a little bit longer. I had no idea what she was going to say when she woke up but I knew exactly what I had to tell her.

I crossed the room, climbing onto the bed from the other side and scooting over to her, wrapping my arms around her slender waist and pulling her body back so my front was pressing snugly into her. Paige suddenly rolled, unexpectedly since I thought she was out for the night. She snuggled into my shoulder and sighed happily. I felt her mouth pressed against my collar bone and relished in the feeling of her warm breath against my skin. I hugged her tighter to me and she responded by nuzzling herself further against me. Her pushed a leg between mine, and was now laying completely sideways against me while I held her. Her hand was splayed over my stomach and I felt her roughly grip the fabric at the hem of my shirt. She was against me, hanging on to me so tightly like if I tried to leave she would have just clung to me, like I couldn't go anywhere without her. I wouldn't have it any other way.

Exhaustion finally found me, the toll of the day was hitting me. I closed my eyes, now able to let sleep take me that Paige was safe in my arms. "I love you" I whispered to her ear before giving her one final gentle kiss on the lips.

**A/N- I'm not a doctor, don't mix drugs and alcohol. I made that stuff up. **


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N- Gonna keep this short and sweet.. Long and drawn out chapter with a lot of Paige and Emily, Spencer and Hanna and a good chunk of mama Fields in there. **

**You can all thank EndWorldPeas for this update. **

**Unfortunatly, as of next week I'm going to be very busy again, so there might not be an update for another little while. I can't really say how long, but I will not be updating as frequently anymore. However, I still am aiming to finish this story so don't be too upset!**

**Thanks for reading!**

**Emily's POV- **

_Finally, able to sleep peacefully knowing Paige is safe. Even in my sleep I could feel her in my arms, she couldn't move without me feeling it. For that reason I was able to peacefully doze off. _

I felt a rough hand gripping my stomach, digging nails to the point of pain jolting me awake. The light from the morning made me squint my eyes shut again but I knew where I was. I could feel Paige, practically attached to me she was holding herself to me so close. I could feel her shuddering and moving against me, and the hand that was placed on my stomach, griping so hard like she was fighting to hang on. I opened my eyes again and saw that she was still sleeping, but obviously stirring from some sort of nightmare.

I had slept through the entire night without waking once Paige was fully knocked out for the night. I kept her tight against me the entire time, not shifting, not wanting to be away from her at all. She had remained still too, until now. I looked at the clock briefly and saw that it was only 8:30 in the morning. We hadn't been sleeping for that long but I guess Paige was already returning after such a terrifying night.

She let out a little groan before twisting away, burying her face in my shoulder, hiding her perfect features from me. She was still shuddering and twitching and I couldn't take her unconscious pain anymore. "Paige" I called as softly as possible. I put my hand on her shoulder and gently rubbed it, pushing her back and trying to get a look at her face. "Wake up sweetie" I brushed her warm cheek with the back of my hand. Her eyes flew open immediately, jolting away from me quickly, obviously I had scared her. Her eyes were forced shut as mine were a moment ago and I immediately felt bad for waking her. I scooted closer to her, reaching out and touching her shoulder again. Her eyes opened wide again and focused on me. She was staring widely and her breathing was wild.

I couldn't say anything. I was lost for words, seeing her finally look at me with aware eyes. I watched her pupils dilate as she stared at my face, and emotionless expression while I looked at her with this intensity I hoped she could feel as well. "Hi" I whispered. There was very little space between us now, and it would have been so easy to capture her lips. I resisted for now though, having no idea what was going through her mind.

She looked rather uneasy, most likely confused about everything. I didn't know where to start. She didn't say anything she just stared at me still. I saw a few tears welling up in her eyes and I knew that if she started, I was going to be a mess.

"Hey you're ok. It was just a dream Paige. You're safe now ok?" It was the only thing I could think of saying. I wondered how she must feel right now. Probably very confused and scared still. "Try not to move too much, you hurt your ankle… uh last night" She looked at me in question before tears began flowing freely from her eyes. "Oh Paige" I cooed. "You're ok, nothing happened to you ok? Just listen for a moment. I found you last night, you twisted your ankle and you were very…delirious. We're in the Hastings Barn right now. Wren took care of you last night. You're alright. Anything you remember from last night wasn't real ok?" I could only hope that she had no memory of whatever was playing through her head last night. My tears were beginning to well up too but I fought it, trying to be supportive for Paige.

Still she said nothing, she just stared at me, unmoving as her tears fell and I wanted so badly to wipe them away. I was afraid to touch her though, afraid to cause more damage than I already had. "I love you" I whispered. I hoped she knew it, I couldn't resist saying it.

Her eyes widened, almost as if the words surprised her. "Why?" She breathed, before tears began openly streaming down her face.

Oh god. She couldn't understand why I loved her. How much I wished she had heard what I had said to her last night. How could this girl not understand how truly wonderful she was. I blamed myself for making her doubt that she was anything less than amazing and leaving her so lonely when she probably needed nothing more than someone to love her. I would never forgive myself for the awful things I had done to her over the past few weeks. I would spend however long it took making it up to her however she wanted me to. I couldn't think of enough ways to express why she was loved.

"Oh Paige!" I cried. I cupped her face in my hands, rubbing my thumb along her cheeks, whipping her tears away. "Don't ever say that. Please don't ever question why I love you. You deserve love, you deserve so much more and I'll fight to make sure you get the best. You silly, _silly _girl, please, just don't think you aren't loved. I love you so much. Paige I love you so much." I leaned in, pressing my forehead to hers and staring at her, trying to show her how much I meant this.

She still didn't respond, but her tears stopped and I would take that as a good sign for now. "You scared me to death last night sweetie" I blubbered out. "I thought I was actually going to lose you. I couldn't imagine that but I will thank the lucky stars that I found you. You were so vulnerable, I hated seeing you like that, seeing you like this. Please, understand how much you mean, how if I had lost you last night I can—" my voice broke. "I can't even begin to think about it," I sobbed.

Paige just continued to stare at me with a look of sheer disbelief and confusion that broke my heart. Behind that look was a pain that ached me, and I just wished she would say anything so I could hear her voice.

"Say something Paige. Anything?" I begged.

She squeezed her eyes shut, "I'm scared" She whispered. I took her hand and played with her fingers soothingly, rubbing my thumb over her wrist.

"What are you afraid of Paige?" I asked, concerned. I wasn't expecting her to say that. I was expecting her to yell, or cry or tell me I had no right to be near her. Even just a thank you but I hadn't expected my brave, strong girl to tell me she was scared. I knew she was scared, I saw it in her eyes but for Paige McCullers to admit her vulnerability out loud meant something was seriously wrong. "Whatever it is, you have me Paige." I reassured her. "We're all scared sometimes, but I'll protect you the way you've never failed to protect me."

Paige gently shook her head. "I don't know if you can protect me from myself" She whispered. My heart dropped to my feet. She was afraid of herself. I couldn't even begin to think about the implications of that, because the truth was that what she could do to herself scared me more than anything.

_Be strong for Paige, Emily. Be everything that Paige is and be brave like her. _I shook my head in disagreement. "You're wrong you know?" I said gently. Paige quirked her eyebrow in question so I continued. "I would never let you do anything to yourself. Isn't last night proof of that? I'm never going to give up on you Paige. So when you're scared, for whatever reason, you always have me to fall back on"

Paige looked speechless again. "I scared myself last night Emily. _I don't remember_. I don't remember anything after looking at you and freaking out. I remember drinking a lot, I remember being upset. But most of all I remember being terrified. I just don't know _why_." Paige said weakly, trying to fight the tears I could see forming.

"I know Paige. You don't need to be scared anymore." I whispered. I was coming undone from all of this. I had wished Paige woke up with zero memory of last night to lessen the pain she had. Apparently, she couldn't remember but she could remember how she felt. "Do you feel scared right now?" I asked.

"I feel safe with you" She admitted, making my heart swell. "But I think that there's one thing that scares me more than myself." She said weakly. "You scare me Emily" She sounded small. "What happened with us scares me and I can't help but feel if I let things go, the same thing is just going to happen all over. My heart can't take that. I can't go through this again" Paige was full on sobbing now, and I wasn't far behind her.

Of course I scared her more than anything else. I did this to her. "I'm sorry Paige" I sobbed. "I broke you. I ruined you and I wish I could just take it all back." I sobbed again. I had tried so hard to keep it together for Paige but her words had me losing it.

"I remember you last night though" She continued. "I remember feeling you there. It made me feel better, even when I didn't know what was going on, I knew I was safe with you. I know that doesn't really make sense. I just said I was scared of you but…" Paige was struggling for words and I was struggling to understand. "I'm scared of how much you mean to me Emily. You have my heart and you can do whatever you want with it. I've never been this vulnerable before to anyone. The fact that it already went wrong, that I could feel that, it just scares me that you have that power over me. I have no control when it comes to how much I love you Emily, that's what I mean by you scare me." Paige finished, looking me in the eyes.

I couldn't take the emotions anymore. I smashed my lips to hers, moving them with her quickly and passionately, trying to show her that I would never let anything come between us again. It felt so good at first, until I realised she wasn't kissing me back. I pulled away and jumped back from her. I was just as bad as that guy last night. Taking advantage of her while she was helpless. "Paige I'm so—"

"Don't you dare say sorry" She interrupted to my surprise. "I just …" She trailed off, closing her eyes, trying to think of the right thing to say.

"Shhh..Paige you don't need to explain yourself. But I feel like I do. I'm here, right now. Holding you is all I want right now ok. I know I have no right to ask anything from you anymore but please Paige. I'm begging you to let me be a part of your life again. I don't care how, a friend, a girlfriend. Anything you want just as long as I can be there for you and help you though whatever is going through your mind right now. I can't be away from you anymore, it hurt so much to see you like that last night and I'm going to do everything possible to prevent that, please just _let me in_" I begged. The truth was even if she said no I would remain with her, fighting for her in every way possible. I wasn't leaving her like this, I wasn't leaving her _ever_.

Paige looked at me with smiling eyes. "Do you think you could just hold me for a while? I miss you being so close to me" She whispered. After my attacking her lips we created some distance between us which I quickly reclaimed by pulling her closer.

"I miss you too" I whispered low in her ear. I wrapped my arms protectively around her and let her bury her face in my hair. I could feel her breathing deeply and pressing little kisses against my head. "I love you so much Paige." I blurted out. I didn't regret saying it, I never would but I wasn't sure that's what Paige wanted from me.

"I want to believe you" Paige replied. I winced at that, but it was much deserved. I hadn't done anything to prove that I loved her lately. "I mean, I do believe you. I want everything you want Emily but I think trust is going to take some time"

"Time? I've got all the time in the world for you Paige" I replied, trying to lighten her mood a little. Things had been so dark for her lately I really wanted to get a smile out of my beautiful girl.

I felt her smile into my hair and it reached my heart. "I like the sound of that" she muzzled.

I kissed her forehead gently, but one little peck wasn't enough for me. I kissed her hair and her exposed cheek a few more times, breathing her in and enjoying her near me. We stayed like this for a long time, simply basking the one another's company, letting each other be comforted.

Then, as if the wall had been lifted last night returned to me, and I knew I had to have a serious discussion with Paige. "Can we talk for a second Paige? I mean, when you're ready?" I asked nervously. Paige seemed a little more aware now and I thought explaining things to her would be better to do sooner rather than later. A good portion of the night she didn't remember and it was my job as her protector to explain everything.

"Mmmhmm" She mumbled into my shoulder. "I'm listening"

"Last night, I mean you probably remember drinking a lot. But then you blacked out. I could see it in your eyes, you weren't there." I fought back tears, trying to get through this. "This guy that was with you and Shana, he was kissing you, and you had no idea what was happening. I couldn't take it so I pulled him off of you and dragged you away. You got upset with me and ran off. I spent for ever looking for you and then you called me. You sounded very afraid so I thought of where you'd most likely be and Toby helped me find you. We carried you out of the woods. You kept panicking and that freaked me out but we got you to Wren. It was scary for a while. The alcohol and the panic attacks. But we couldn't take you to the hospital without risking freaking you out more. So we came back here. You eventually fell asleep and now here we are. But you were so cold and so scared… so _alone_. It killed me Paige. Seeing you like that was the hardest thing I've ever experienced." I finished. I was surprised I wasn't crying but I managed to hold it in.

Paige pulled back a little bit to look at me. "I couldn't handle it. That's why that happened. I couldn't handle you being there but me not being with you. I'm sorry, about the guy. But thank you for stopping him. All I can imagine is what would have happened if you hadn't. Shana wouldn't have done anything. It probably would have been another Trevor all over again" Paige explained sadly.

I shook my head. "Don't apologise. You have nothing to be sorry about." I disagreed. "This is all my fault we're here in the first place." Paige looked at me but didn't say anything. "anyways, you sprained your ankle out in the woods, that's why you didn't make it back to Rosewood I think." I felt Paige tense at the idea of a serious injury. "don't worry Paige. It's a first degree; as long as you stay off it you should be better in a week. According to Wren anyways." I explained. I felt Paige relax back into me.

"Thank you. I think that's the only thing I can say to you Emily. Thank you for not giving up on me, even when I pushed you to. I know I was being difficult. And I'm honestly still hurt by everything. But I can't keep doing this to myself. I think I need you"

My heart swelled. "Paige I'm here. And I'm going to prove to you how much you're loved and needed." I whispered.

"You mean so much to me, Em" I gushed with joy. She hadn't used my nickname in so long and hearing it come out of her mouth was beautiful.

She looked at me, and to my surprise she took my face in her hands and leaned in. I slammed my eyes shut as she kissed me. It was tender, needing and so soft I wanted to cry. Scratch that this kiss actually brought tears to my eyes. It had been so long since I felt her lips against mine I almost forgot how amazing it felt. I lost myself in the gentle movement of her lips moving with mine. Neither of us pushed it any further, we just kissed and kissed until eventually, one of us broke it off.

We snuggled back into each other, both smiling blissfully. There was still so much to talk about but right now, we were both together and that's all I could think about. I let my eyes shut for a moment and sleep found me once again. Finally the emotional exhaustion of being away from Paige was over and I could rest easy knowing she was safe, and we were together.

I woke up again, but this time, the bed was empty. I looked around the room but Paige was nowhere in sight. I panicked a little, but forced myself to breathe and get out of bed. Even if she tried to leave she couldn't have gotten that far with a sprained ankle right? I shook my head and walked out of the guest room in the barn, intent on finding her. I was about to enter the kitchen when I heard two quiet voices talking back and forth. I stopped for a second to listen.

"All I'm saying is, we've been through a lot together, Paige. It's made us really protective of each other and kind of hard to trust other people." I heard Spencer's voice in a hushed whisper.

"I get that Spencer. I do, but you were my friend and you never even let me explain" Paige argued back. I was about to step in and make Spencer buck up and apologise but the direction of the conversation halted me.

"I know" Spencer's voice broke. "And we're all so sorry. Not just Emily, all of us. We all lost you that day and it hurt, it really did" It sounded like Spencer was crying. I couldn't even think of the last time I had heard Spencer be this upset over something. It was rather satisfying, having her finally admit that there was no excuse for what we did to Paige.

"Forgiving you isn't the hard part. Forgiving Emily this morning was easy. What I can't do, no matter how much I want to is trust you call completely again. I don't know if I ever can, even though I'm trying. It will always hurt to know you guys didn't trust me, and I don't know how to get over that." Paige explained.

"Emily saved your life last night. Isn't that enough to trust her again?" Spencer suggested. She wasn't sharp about it. It sounded as though she was trying to help Paige.

"Of course."

"But you just said—"

"I trust Emily with my life Spencer. I'm just having trouble trusting her with my heart. I could never tell her how much it hurt me, I don't want to hurt her feelings. But I can tell you. I mean it was pretty obvious, but I just stopped caring about myself. I didn't want to care about anything anymore. I didn't hate you guys though. That's what sucked. I could only hate myself for not showing you all that I was incapable of that type of malice. That's how I felt anyways"

I wasn't meant to hear any of this. But it didn't change the heartbreaking fact that it was true, and that I indeed would never be able to get the memory of Paige saying she hated herself out of my mind. I should have walked away at this point, eavesdropping was a bad idea but my feet were glued to the floor.

"Do you still feel that way? About yourself?" Spencer asked. "Because if its any consolation we do trust you. And we all love you. We're all willing to do whatever it takes to make it up to you."

"I stopped hating myself when you all found out the truth. After that I was just angry with you all. But it still broke my heart that you ever though it in the first place" Paige explained.

"Do you understand how much Emily loves you?" Spencer asked suddenly.

Paige didn't respond and I wished I could see her face right now.

"She does. Emily puts so much emotion into loving you, it's hard to imagine you two ever falling out now. She's so guilty from all of this, I can promise you won't be allowed out of her sight for a long time, until she feels like she's proved that you're loved completely by her." Spencer predicted. She was undeniably right. "I'm actually surprised you made it out of that bed without waking her" Spencer joked.

I blushed a little at how inappropriate I was being, but Spencer was right.

"It was a long, half hour process" Paige offered. "I had to move very slowly"

Spencer laughed. "So are we good again Paige? Can you forgive us for how awful we've been?" Spencer was suddenly serious again.

"We're good." Paige replied.

"By the way, I'm going to give Megan and Chelsea a little taste of their own medicine. Just a warning. Don't object Paige, they deserve what they're gonna get, and hopefully I can clear your tarnished name at Rosewood in the process. It's the very least I can do"

Paige didn't respond and I imagined that she rolled her eyes or shrugged in response.

Spencer continued on. "And it might be in your best interest to not hang out with Shana anymore. I know she seemed like a friend, but she almost let some guy have his way with you while you were drunk. And she let you get a tattoo for crying out loud. Seriously Paige! I mean I'll admit it looks amazing but in some dudes basement while drunk? Do you know of the infectious diseases you could get from that?"

I cringed at this new information. I figured Paige had gotten in safely but I should have known better. I would be taking her for a blood test the next chance I got.

"I'm sure you could name them all Spence" Paige remarked. "Relax, it was sterile"

I rolled my eyes. I was about to keep listening when I felt a tap on my shoulder. I saw Wren standing behind me smirking knowingly. I shrugged my shoulders and walked into the kitchen, b-lining it for Paige who was sitting on the stool. I wrapped my arms around her and kissed her forehead. "I woke up and you weren't there" I whispered.

"Sorry, babe" My heart fluttered as she spoke. "I just came to get a drink and Spencer was here." She explained.

"You should be staying off your ankle" I scolded. I moved so I was standing behind the stool but I wrapped my arms around her shoulders and let my thumbs feel along her clavicle.

"I hopped" Paige quipped.

"She's right you know" Wren added, walking in the kitchen, holding a pair of crutches. Paige groaned. "Relax Paige it's only for a few days. Minor injury I promise. If you weren't an athlete I wouldn't even encourage you to stay on the crutches. But you are, and therefore you are using these for a few days, and then very light walking. As before, I trust Emily will be your homecare nurse" Wren joked.

He asked her a few more typical questions about how much she had to drink, what she remembered, and if she had ever had panic attacks before. Paige answered them all briskly and Wren had concluded that she was fine mentally. He gave her a couple of Tylenol for her hangover and told her not to drink so much next time. Overall, I felt as though he had downplayed everything but I guessed he'd done it for Paige. She wouldn't want to hear how bad things really were last night and I was fine keeping that from her.

"Thank you Wren" Paige said graciously. "Really. Thank you"

"Its my job." He replied. "Speaking of, I need to get to work. Spend the day here if you'd like" He offered. "Melissa is in Philly with some girlfriends."

**Paige's POV-**

The three of us were now seated in the living room of the Hastings barn. I was having the hangover from hell but was very thankful I hadn't thrown up…yet. I had taken a shower to freshen up which helped although balancing on one foot in a tub was an accomplishment. Emily insisted that she help me but I outright refused. I had to keep some dignity after all of the girls had seen my condition last night.

We weren't really saying much, but Emily was snuggled tightly against my side, making me content to stay here all day. Spencer offered to leave multiple times but I insisted that she stay. The other girls would be waking up soon enough and I was sure Hanna would have more than a few things to say to me.

Right on cue, Hanna burst through the door, with Aria close behind.

"Paigey!" She squealed. "You're okay!" She bounded over to me, practically pushing Emily out of the way to engulf me with a big hug. "Paigey I'm sorry!" Hanna pulled back and looked at me with her blue eyes. "We're awful people but we love you and I'm so glad you didn't die" Hanna bluntly stated.

"I'm glad I didn't die too" I agreed, laughing. I returned the hug. "Don't worry Hanna Banana, you're forgiven"

She smiled and leaning in, kissing me on the forehead. "Now where's this tattoo Emily told me about?" Hanna grabbed my hoodie and yanked it up.

"Hanna!" Emily yelled.

"Holy shit Paige!" Hanna exclaimed. Hanna ran her thumb across my inked skin and Emily glared at her. "That is one sexy tattoo! Do you mind if I get the same one? I've always wanted a tattoo." Hanna rambled.

"Enough feeling up my girlfriend!" Emily yelled. As soon as she realised what she said she clamped her hand over her mouth. She looked at me apologetically. We still hadn't really talked about what we were.

There was an awkward silence for a moment but I wasn't phased by Emily's outburst. "Careful, Hanna. Emily just got me back, I don't think she's ready for any competition yet" I joked. I saw Emily breath a sigh of relief.

"Besides" Aria interjected. "I doubt you could handle the pain of getting a tattoo Hanna. Lets leave the bad-ass-ery to Paige, huh?"

Aria sat next to me and took my hand. I squeezed it tightly, silently letting her know it was all ok.

It felt amazing to have my friends back in my life. I had missed each of the girls more than I had ever imagined and it was great that they were trying to make things up to me.

Just then Emily's phone rang and she excused herself from the room to answer it. Not before leaning over her friends and kissing me softly, lingering a little bit longer than usual.

She left and we all chatted for a little while about nothing particular until Emily returned.

"That was my mom" Emily said. "She wants us to come home soon" She told the group. It was late afternoon now and I wondered why she wanted Emily home so early.

"Us?" Spencer asked suspiciously.

"Paige and I" She answered. "She wants to see Paige" I looked at her in question and she just shrugged. "Probably just wants to make sure you're ok, beautiful." Emily walked over, smiling widely as I opened my arms for her to fall into. Instead of sitting on the seat beside me on the couch, she sat on my lap, leaning into me. This entire day, no matter how we were positioned she was always holding me, or touching me in a way that had the most contact as possible. It apparently wasn't enough for her to just hold my hand, not that I was complaining, I had missed this feeling. Emily leaned in and kissed me timidly on the cheek. I grinned at her and leaned in for a real kiss.

"awwweh! I'm so glad you two are back together" Hanna chimed. "You're both too cute, being all needy for each other. And I bet Emily has a lot of work cut out for her to make it up to you in the sheets" Hanna winked suggestively and I groaned.

"We're taking it slow, Han!" Emily warned.

Hanna looked at us like we were crazy. "I'm sorry what?" She asked. "Why are you taking it slow? You both've done it with each other before and you're on top of each other every opportunity. Besides, make up sex is totally hot. I bet Paige would really give it to you for everything you've done to her. Do you like being punished Emily?" Hanna asked.

My jaw completely dropped. What Hanna had just said was totally wrong on so many levels I didn't even know what to say. I just stared at her and I felt Emily tense above me. "Did you actually just say that Hanna?" She said flatly.

"What? It's true! Me and cale—"

"I don't wanna hear that!" Emily yelled. "Seriously Hanna!" Emily stood up and stormed out of the room. "I can't believe you sometimes!" She shouted. It sounded like she was crying and I looked at Hanna sternly.

"I was just saying" Hanna said. I knew she meant it as a joke but Emily was still very upset about everything and I was still recovering as well.

"Don't worry about it" I said. "It's just a little soon" I hobbled myself up, grabbing my crutches and going after Emily.

"Em?" I called. I went into the kitchen and saw that she was sitting on the couch in the lounge crying. "Aww Emily you don't need to cry" I hobbled over there, struggling to sit down next to her. I wrapped my arms around her. "Hanna is just being Hanna" I said. "why is that upsetting you?" I asked.

Emily looked at me, throwing her arms around my waist and leaning into me. "Because she pointed out the truth. You should really hate me after everything I've done. I don't deserve you and I know that" Emily looked down.

I put my hand under her chin and tilted her head up so she was looking me in the eyes. "Don't you dare be upset about that" I smiled. "Emily Fields I've already forgiven you." I leaned in, capturing her lips for a short, loving kiss.

"You shouldn't though. You should hate me."

I looked at her seriously. "I could never hate you. Don't ever think that or I might really get upset" I warned. The one thing I wouldn't stand for anymore was anybody questioning how much I loved and needed Emily. Once again, she was becoming my everything, maybe even a little more intense than before.

"I'm just trying to understand" She whispered weakly.

I laughed. "We've been over this. I don't want to lose any more time with you Emily. I was stubborn before and look at the situation I got myself into. You shouldn't have had to come find me in the woods because I shouldn't have let myself go so far. You saved me Emily, in more ways than you think. If it wasn't for you, I think I would be dead. Not because of last night, but because of everything that happened before that. I think Chelsea and Megan, Rosewood in general would have been the death of me if you hadn't befriended me. And besides all of that intense stuff, you're amazing and I love you. I can't stay mad at your loving, caring self. You are so beautiful Emily, inside and out. We can get through this mistake because it's you. If it were anybody else, I'd be gone already but its you Emily Fields. It's who you are and how much I love you that makes it easy to forgive you" I spoke from the heart, finally letting my forgiveness to Emily show.

She smiled at me, almost in awe as she leaned in and kissed me softly. She was being so gentle with me today and I appreciated it. I really did need this type of affection from her and she was so giving with it today I was more than happy. "Want to go see your mom?" I asked.

Emily huffed. "I want to stay in this little bubble of happiness with you for the rest of… well forever" Emily replied.

I smiled and poked her nose. "You know, I've really missed how cute you are" I joked.

Emily grinned wider. "You have no idea how much I feel the same way" She stood up and held her hands out to me, helping me up. I was happy the crutches were very temporary but they were still a pain. I crutched myself back to the living room with Emily close behind.

Hanna looked at us desperately and we both nodded. "You're forgiven" We spoke in unison. She smiled and squeeled happily.

"We're going to head out now, to my house for a while." Emily told them. "Tell Wren thank you for taking care of Paige when he gets home from work." Spencer nodded and walked us out, helping me into Emily's car. As she drove, she laced her hand with mine on the console.

"I hope you know I'm staying with you this week" Emily said, breaking the silence.

"Emily" I started.

"Paige this isn't up for discussion. You're on crutches and you're supposed to be staying off your ankle. You have a loft apartment, you're going to need help with those shitty stairs and cooking and whatever else you need." Emily prodded.

"I have a twisted ankle, Em. I'm not handicapped" I mumbled.

Emily rolled her eyes and squeezed my hand a little tightly. "And I know you. You're supposed to be staying off your ankle and if I'm not around to watch you I know you're going to throw those crutches in the dumpster" Emily was completely right.

"If I didn't know any better I'd think you just wanted to spend more time with me" I joked.

Emily smiled cutely, "Well that might be a big part of it too. But can we agree that I'm staying with you, at least until your ankle is better? My mom will understand."

"Emily, I don't need you to do that for me. I'll be fine I promise." I tried to argue although I really didn't have a problem with her staying with me. It was just an ego thing that I insist that I would be fine.

"I told you, you're not alone anymore. I meant that in every way possible." Emily spoke, thick with emotion.

"I don't feel alone anymore Em." We got back to her house and she helped me out, getting me situated in my crutches before getting up the steps and in the door.

Pam came rushing too us, gently touching my arms and giving me a one over. "Paige McCullers I have been worried sick about you!" She yelled. I cringed at how angry she looked at me. I looked briefly at Emily but she looked about as shocked as I did. "Don't you ever do that to me again do you understand?" I nodded quickly, not wanting to make her more upset although I had no idea what was happening.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Fields" I mumbled. I didn't really know what I was apologizing for but I felt it was necessary.

"You're damn right you are. You scared us to death Paige." She scolded. "Don't think you're getting off the hook that easy for your behaviour"

"Behaviour?" I asked confusedly.

"Drinking alone, running off on your own and risking your life while out of control drunk! I'm not taking this lightly Paige. You're grounded." Pam spoke firmly, looking at me in anger. I could see the real worry in her eyes but I could tell she was genuinely upset with me.

_Wait, grounded? _I started laughing, thinking she was kidding. "Grounded?" I asked, still giggling. The look Pam shot me brought my outburst to an abrupt halt.

"What do you mean, grounded?" I asked. "I kind of live alone I can't really make myself clean all the dishes and stay in my room or whatever grounded people do" I explained.

Pam huffed. "Paige. I've decided you're going to be staying with us for a little while."

I tried to object but she cut me off. "It's not up for discussion Paige." So this is where Emily got her ruthless attitude from. "You're staying here or I'm calling your parents and they can come and we can discuss their role in your life." I cringed at that threat. The last thing I needed was Mrs. Fields reaming out my parents for their lack of effort in my life.

"Mom" Emily warned sternly. She gripped my hand tighter and I knew she was trying to keep Pam from upsetting me.

"This doesn't concern you Emily." She replied before turning back to me. "If you're parents were around, do you think you'd be in the predicament? You need someone to take care of you for a while, for god sakes you're a child! You can't be staying alone of course things like this are going to happen. You're a smart girl sweetheart but you need a bit of structure in your life. So I'm grounding you. And you'll be staying here at least until your ankle gets better. I don't like the thought of you being alone anyways." She added.

"I've been on my own for a while Mrs. Fields. I can handle it. This whole thing, it was a big mistake but I don't think anybody could have stopped it. I was going through stuff and I just couldn't keep myself together for a little while. I'm sorry for disappointing you" I really did feel guilty now for upsetting Pam, more so than if I had disappointed my own parents. Well I was already a disappointment to them just because I didn't breathe perfection, but that was beside the point.

Pam look at me and her face turned from angry to sweet immediately. "Oh, honey you didn't disappoint me. I just worry about you and I want what's best for you. I don't want you to 'handle' it Paige. You're in pain, maybe more ways than one and although I love and trust that Emily can help you, I care about you too, and I think you need an adult in your life that you can depend on." Pam justified.

Now I was really tearing up. "Thanks" I whispered through my tears and I felt Emily pull me against her side, trying to comfort me. Pam opened her arms and I fell into them, feeling her motherly embrace that made me realise I had never had this before. A real relationship with an adult that I could actually depend on no matter what.

"Now, are you alright honey? Do you need anything?" She asked sweetly.

I tried to choke back my tears but it was no use. "Could we maybe.. go to my apartment so I can get some of my things?" I asked quietly.

Pam rubbed my back, gently soothing me. "Of course sweetheart. We can go right now if you'd like. Me and Emily will drive you and Emily can take your Jeep back here for you." She offered.

I nodded and released myself from her embrace. "Ok."

…

We gathered my stuff rather quickly. I just packed a backpack of clothing and a duffel bag with some random things like my laptop and toiletries I would need. I wasn't sure how long I would be staying at the Fields residence but I felt like I had enough for a few days at least. After a bit of a struggle getting down the stairs I walked Emily to my vehicle, giving her the keys.

"Don't crash my baby" I warned.

Emily laughed and shook her head. "Don't worry I wouldn't dare" She grinned.

I looked at Emily teasingly. "Actually I was talking to the Jeep" I joked. Emily blushed and giggled at my lameness.

Then she looked at me seriously. "I've really missed your jokes." She exasperated. Then she looked confused. "Wait, you're not riding back with me?" She asked, with a hint of hurt behind her eyes. As much as I wanted to spend every second possible with Emily I had to talk to Pam alone.

I shook my head. "I just need to talk to your mom for a few minutes" I explained. When she frowned I took her face in my hands and forced her to look at me. "I'm fine. I just need to talk to her properly and I don't want you to be upset by hearing everything again." I assured. "Drive safe, I'll see you in a few minutes" I kissed her quickly before crutching my way over to Pam's BMW.

Pam looked at me in question. "I need to talk to you." I explained. She nodded thoughtfully before taking my crutches and helping me into the passenger seat. After everything was loaded in the trunk she sat down and began driving.

"What's on your mind, dear?" She asked.

I took a few deep breaths before I began. "Nothing major. I just wanted to thank you, for acting like the parent I never had. I know everything is a mess right now, but I think I really need you and Emily and it scares me a little. I've never been so dependent on anybody before, I don't know what this means." I confessed.

"I'm sorry you've felt like you can't depend on people." Pam sounded heartbroken.

"I'm sorry I'm so screwed up." I lamented. "I don't understand how you can think I'm any good Pam" I muttered.

I watched as she shook her head furiously. "Don't you ever say that. You're not screwed up Paige. Your situation maybe but you are just fine. You're going to be just fine. What I meant was, I'm sorry your parents made you feel like you couldn't depend on them. I don't understand how they just let you go Paige. You're an amazing girl and you deserve to feel like a part of the family. Me and Emily already see you that way."

Her words had moved me. I was considered part of the family. That meant more than being part of my own family. "My parents are a very different issue that I'm not ready to deal with yet" I informed her.

Pam smiled sadly. "Well I'm glad you think of me as someone you can depend on. It means that no matter what you've done, I'm always going to be there for you to talk to. I don't care if you're drunk, in jail, in Mexico you can call me and I'll be there. It means that you can't shut me and Emily out just because you don't want to burden us anymore. We both just want you to be safe and feel loved. Because you are loved Paige." Pam spoke surely.

"Thanks" I answered simply. "I don't know where I'd be without you two"

"Just don't let things go so far again, you understand?"

"I understand. Pam? What exactly happens when I'm grounded?" I asked, lightening the mood.

Pam laughed strikingly at me. "Well for starters, no going out except for school and swimming. Now, because you're you and I'm too nice, you can spend time with Emily and the girls. But nobody else. No parties, no drinking, no going anywhere without telling me and letting me know what time you'll be back. I'd say no dates but that would be a little pointless"

I nodded in agreement. "That sounds pretty easy to me" I agreed.

Pam shook her head. "I'm not here to be hard on you Paige. Despite what you try and convince the world I can see how fragile you are right now. I'm not really getting you in trouble so much as keeping a watchful eye on you."

I rolled my eyes. "I can live with that. Seriously thank you" I told her earnestly.

Pam smiled easily. "Good. Emily knows her mistake cost you a lot. She's going to spend a lot of time making it up to you."

I nodded. "I told her I didn't know if I was ready to trust again. I know that upset her but I didn't want to lie and say it was all better. I do like that she's here for me again though."

"Be careful what you wish for" Pam laughed. "Emmy isn't going to let you out of her sight for a little while."

As she said that we pulled up to the Fields home—My home for the next little while. I saw Emily sitting on the steps waiting for us and Pam and I exchanged a few giggles.

Then I remembered why I really wanted to talk to her. "Pam wait." She looked at me expectantly. "I know everything you said was the truth but, _please_ if this becomes too much, me staying here for a couple of days, I won't be upset if you need me to go back home. I wouldn't take offence to that, I don't want to intrude" Pam looked like she was going to argue. "I don't need you to say anything. I just wanted to tell you that without Emily hearing it and freaking out"

Pam nodded. "Fine. But that's not going to happen"

"I just wanted to say it" I explained.

Emily was apparently not patient enough to wait for us to come to her as she approached the car quickly and opened the door for me. "Hey beautiful." She greeted. She held her hands out for me so as to help me get out of the car. I took her help graciously, and she pulled me up and wrapped her arms around me while leaning me against the car. Pam passed me my crutches and I made my way into the house, Emily close behind me with all of my stuff. Emily helped me up the porch steps, letting me use her for balance and help the door open for me. I discarded my one shoe and made my way to the living room, flopping myself down on the couch where I figured I'd be staying. The Fields did not have a guest room, which was surprising for the size of the house but I didn't mind sleeping on the comfy living room furniture.

"Paige?" Emily called.

"In here!" I yelled back.

She walked in the room looking at me questioningly. "Did you want to stay up for a while? I thought you were pretty tired we can go to bed and have a nap if you'd like?" She offered.

"uuuh?" Is all I responded.

"My mom isn't daft, babe. She knows we've slept in the same bed before" Emily informed me.

"And I'll trust that nothing will happen while you're injured and under my roof!" Pam called from the kitchen.

I blushed and Emily laughed at my response. "How am I supposed to get up and down those stairs?" I asked. "Really Emily I don't want to be a nuisance. I can just stay down here, I'll be fine" I told her.

Emily looked completely hurt again. _What did I do this time? _"Paige do you _want _to stay down here? I mean I understand if you need some time to yourself but… I'd really like it if you stayed with me." Emily spoke softly.

I grinned at her. "I just don't want to make this more difficult for you guys." I pointed at my wrapped ankle.

Emily just giggled. "Come on Paige. Don't you want to sleep in my bed?" She winked suggestively. I smiled. I actually had never slept in Emily's bed before.

"So how am I supposed to brave the dreaded stairway?" I asked. A few steps weren't a problem but I had struggled enough getting up the stairs to my apartment and they were wide and forgiving. The stairs at the Fields house were a little more dauntingly steep, narrow and slick hardwood. If I used my crutches I could guarantee I would fall on my ass. This was going to end badly.

"Come on, sweetie. I'll piggy back you!" Emily sounded really excited by her brilliant idea.

"Are you serious Emily?" I asked. She just nodded and helped me up, motioning me to head to the stairs. We passed through the kitchen first.

"I'll bring you two some soup in a couple hours. You both look as though you could use a nap." Pam suggested.

We both nodded. "Thanks" we said in unison, smiling at each other.

"And for god sakes be careful going up those stairs Emily!" She called as we left the room.

Emily crouched down, motioning for me to get on her back. With some one-footed effort I was successfully in piggy back position and Emily held my legs tightly as she ascended the stairs. We were both howling with laughter the entire way up.

"Don't you dare tell Spencer about this or my dignity will be ruined forever!" I warned her.

"Promise" Emily replied. Even after we reached the top of the stairs Emily kept going down the hallway to her bedroom.

"Em what are you..?" Emily laughed again, throwing me down gently, yet with some surprise onto the bed.

"No moving!" She said sternly before racing out of the room, I assumed to get my crutches and my stuff. She was back up in a matter of seconds with my bags and my crutches. "Anything else Paigey?" Emily asked sweetly. "Water? Something else to drink? Are you hungry? Do you need a snack? How about the bathroom? I mean you took a shower earlier today but if you needed…"

"Em." I stopped her. "I'm fine just like this. Maybe I can change into some pajama shorts though? And a T-shirt?" I asked.

"Of course" Emily agreed, reaching into my bag and pulling out my requested items. "Do you need help?" she offered.

I shook my head, sitting on the edge of the bed and changing out of Emily's sweater and pajama pants I had apparently claimed last night. I quickly pulled on my own clothes and felt a little more fresh. Emily held out her hand to take her sweater and pants. I gave her the pants but I hugged the sweater tightly. "Oh no no. This is mine now." I told her. I slid it back on over my T-shirt, breathing in the scent of Emily that would stick to this sweater forever.

"Paaaaaaige!" Emily groaned. "That's my comfiest hoodie!" she complained. She was smiling though, so I could tell she really didn't care.

"Actually, now I believe it's my comfiest hoodie! Besides you owe me for letting Wren cut through my Reeboks! The jeans I could live with but the Reeboks? Really Emily?" I complained.

Emily rolled her eyes. "I didn't 'let' him. It just kind of happened. Besides you still have one good one! At least you can still wear it while you're on crutches?" Emily suggested.

I shook my head. "Nope! Sorry I price to pay for that was one hoodie and I am quite fond of this one." I stated.

Emily smiled at me. "It's yours then" She agreed. "I love when you wear my clothes anyways" She stood above me and placed her hands in the pocket of my hoodie.

"so this whole living together thing…" I started. Emily smiled as I trailed off.

"I have to say I wasn't expected _that _from my mom" Emily stressed. "But if it means spending more time with you I'm thrilled. I mean, obviously we can't be as… you know as we would be if we were at your apartment. But my mom is right, you need us to take care of you. She's fond of you and I know she would worry everyday if you weren't staying under our roof." Emily explained.

"I usually don't like being taken care of… but if this is how its going to be" I pulled her down on top of me. We didn't kiss, even though it would have been a good moment for a heated make out session. Instead I just held her body against mine. Relishing the feeling of her with me. "Take care of me Emily" I whispered in her ear.

Emily shuddered against me. "I love you Paige. I know there is still a lot to figure out. There's still a little riff between us and I know that but I love you and that's never changed. I can't believe I almost lost you for real."

"Hey." I scooted back to get a look at her face, beautiful but eyes were watery. "Let's not think about what didn't happen. We're here, together, and that's all I'm thinking about right now. We can talk about the more complicated stuff once the emotions of having you in my life again have subsided. We're working through it Emily. It might not be perfect, but we're together and that makes it pretty damn close."

Emily leaned in and captured my lips, kissing me gently, and pouring emotions into me that I've missed so much. Everything today had been so intense but this was soft, passionate and blissful. This was why me and Emily we meant to be. The way she kissed me right now was the reason I had hope we could work this out.


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N- So I happened to find time in my life to update this week so here we go, another chapter. Hope it's still decent let me know what you think about it folks! **

**Glad everyone is happy they are finally back together, I know I am. Thanks to everyone to reviews and thanks to EndWorldPeas for nagging me ALL OF THE TIME to update. It helps. **

**Inspiration for this chapter? Miley Cirus's new video for We Can't Stop. **

**Paige's POV**

"I don't wanna go to school" I grumbled, stuffing my face into Emily's pillow as her alarm blared and she reached over me to shut it off.

We had spent the rest of the night cuddling and catching up. It was nice, we didn't really say too much but there was no real need for words. We were both just happy to be in each other's arms after so much time apart.

Emily rubbed my back , "You have to go Paige" She teased. "Besides, I need you at the swim meet tonight to cheer me on"

I groaned again. "I don't even want to think about the swim meet that I can't compete in" I complained. "Can't we just stay home? Have a nice, relaxing day? You could make me breakfast and I'll catch up on my schoolwork today?" I asked, hoping Emily would give in.

Emily pulled my shoulder, making me roll over and look at her. "Not a chance Paige. As much as I want to stay home with you all day, you need to get to school and we need to be at the natatorium afterschool."

"I don't want to go!" I whined. "Emily, everybody is going to be staring" She looked at me in questioning and I continued. "Us back together? Thanks to Chelsea and Megan starting that rumor, everyone in school thinks I'm some vandalising nut case" I explained.

Emily glared at me. "You're not a nut case. No one thinks you're a nut case. I'll make sure everyone knows you didn't do it. When they see you with me, they'll figure it out. But I'll make sure your name is cleared Paige, I promise." Emily spoke sincerely.

I shook my head sternly. "Can I please just stay here today?" I begged. I really didn't feel ready to go back to school. "I can't face it all Emily, not yet" before I was trying to joke it off, but I really wasn't ready to face everyone, to crutch myself around school and to see Chelsea and Megan.

Emily took my face in her hands. "I'm not leaving you Paige. You're brave and strong, you can face anything you want to. Besides, I'll be right by your side as much as possible. So will Spencer , Aria and Hanna. I told you yesterday you weren't alone anymore and we mean that."

I closed my eyes, leaning forward and pressing my lips to hers. "Thanks Em." I whispered. I knew Emily was going to make sure I went, so I bucked up and got out of bed, heading for the bathroom on my crutches and starting my shower. Emily helped me get ready, although it wasn't really necessary I appreciated it. She was babying me but for today, I would let her, knowing it would make her day and I had no complaints.

We drove to school after Pam had made us and amazing breakfast and wished us a good day. She said she would meet us at the swim meet afterschool to cheer on the Sharks. I was a little peeved that I wouldn't be able to compete but I would be cheering on Emily from the sidelines no doubt.

We arrived at school and Emily walked briskly to the passenger's side and opened the door for me, helping me with my crutches. She carried my backpack in one hand and put her other hand on the small of my back, seeing as she couldn't hold my hand with my crutches being in the way. She led me slowly to my locker, helping me put my backpack in and grab my books for first period. The bell rang and as I turned to say goodbye Emily put her hand back on my back and pushed me lightly in the direction of my class. She walked me there, carrying my books until we reached the door. She stood on her tippy toes and gave me a light peck.

"I'll be right here when the bell rings, gorgeous" Emily whispered. I touched my cheek gently before turning and walking away in the direction of her class.

I paused for a moment, watching her saunter off in the opposite direction, smiling to myself before walking into class. _Wow I'm glad to call her mine_.

Emily followed through with her promise, meeting me after my morning classes and walking me to the next. She met me for lunch and guided me to the cafeteria. We sat in the usual spot, with Spencer, Aria and Hanna. Falling back into routine was surprisingly easy after everything that had happened. Emily was sitting beside me, arm wrapped around me and head on my shoulder as we ate.

I leaned in and pressed a kiss to her cheek. "I love you so much" I ran my cheek along hers, traveling slowly to her lips.

I heard Hanna cough loudly. "AHEM! As much as I love watching you two be all cute if you start mackin' here the entire school is gonna be watching." Hanna warned. She looked pointedly at a few different groups of people and I looked around me to see what the deal was.

I looked around me and saw that a few people were staring. I ducked my head immediately out of awkwardness and embarrassment. I didn't do well with rumors and I could see the speculating eyes piercing at me and Emily.

"Paige." Spencer spoke. "Don't look away from them." I put my head down further instead. I had been so caught up with Emily and my classes I hadn't taken notice to the student body completely staring at her and I today. Until now. I had enough people talking behind my backs at Rosewood High for a lifetime. I didn't need this.

I felt Emily's arms wrap around me protectively as I hunched over in my seat. I cringed a little bit, I kind of just wanted to hide. I could feel how tense Emily was so I sneaked a glance up at her and saw she was glaring at everyone looking at us.

"There's no need to be so closed off, babe" Emily soothed. "We'll get this problem cleared up for you." I still didn't budge, not wanting to meet the icy stares of everyone looking at us. Emily dipped her face down to my ear, speaking lowly making it difficult for me to focus on anything but her hot breath. "Come on beautiful. Chin up. Where's that usual McCullers bravery?" Emily teased.

"I'm trying to be strong for you Em" I replied. I felt that awful pit in my stomach again when I thought of people staring at us, judging us. Why was a letting this petty thing get to me? I never gave a shit what people thought before.

Emily pulled my face up, forcing me to see her and only her. "I didn't mean it like that" Emily sweetly explained. "I just don't want you to be hurting over this." I looked deeply in Emily's eyes and nodded. She leaned in to kiss me and I couldn't help but break eye contact with her to see how many people were staring. Emily stopped, watching my eyes flit around the cafeteria and she tensed.

"That's it I'm dealing with this once and for all" She uttered. She started to get up but I grabbed her hand and looked at her pleadingly. With a bit of strength I forced her back sitting again and captured her lips quickly, trying to beg her to stay here. She returned this kiss with just as much passion. "Don't go" I whispered against her lips.

Emily pulled away slightly, pressing a quick peck to my nose. "Kissing me like that shouldn't be allowed at school"

"I gave you the option of staying home today" I retorted.

Emily grinned at me but her grin soon turned to a scowl as she stared at something in the distance. I went to turn my head but she just grabbed my face and pulled me in to another heated kiss. She deepened this kiss, pushing her tongue into my mouth hungrily and for a moment I forgot where we were. When I heard her moan rather loudly I remembered we were at school and a big sight to see today so I pulled away. When I looked up I noticed that Spencer, Aria, and Hanna were all walking away.

"Did we really just scare them off?" I asked, breathless.

Emily smiled and ran her fingers though my hair. "Maybe. I can't really say that I care though." There was something off about Emily right now. She felt a little tense and she kept looking off in the distance, towards her friends. When my smile slightly fell she grabbed my hand and started playing with it. "You know they love us. And you're kind of hard to resist so really this is your fault" Emily joked.

I grinned, "Hey! You started it!" Emily laughed a little too much for it to be believable and I had to question what the deal was.

"Emily?" I asked expectantly. "I know something is up, what's going on?"

Emily frowned. "Can't you just trust me that its going to be fine and we can leave it at that?" Emily begged.

That annoyed me. After all of this time apart and she was still trying to keep something from me. I waited for an explanation.

"Please, Paige. This is for you just let this go and I'll tell you later." Emily looked increasingly stressed and I noticed her gaze over my shoulder. I turned around quickly, trying to see what the hell she was staring at.

There they were, Spencer, Hanna and Aria. All standing with their backs turned to us, arms folded and strong, defensive stances. I could see Spencer throwing her hands in the air and I could hear her muffled voice through the buzz of the cafeteria. That's when I noticed they were talking to Megan and Chelsea. Confronting them.

"I told them not to do this!" I grumbled. I grabbed my crutches and started to get up. Emily grabbed my arm, holding me there for a moment.

She looked desperate. "Please, let them deal with this. You've dealt with enough you don't need to go over there" I pulled my arm away from her, grabbing my crutches again and pulling myself up. Emily rushed up, trying to help me. "I'm sorry Paige" Emily sounded really upset again so I paused for a moment to look at her.

She had that guilty, pleading look that she'd been wearing a lot lately. "Just stop trying to take care of things without me." I relented. I didn't want to get really upset with Emily. "It only hurts me more" I brushed my thumb over her cheek, showing her that it was going to be alright before hastily crutching my way to the confrontation.

I stood behind the three girls and Emily stood right beside me. She took the one crutch away from me, setting it on the ground and wrapping herself around me, letting me use her as a support instead.

"You don't get it do you!" Spencer yelled. "We have proof. You think we'd just let you get away with what you've done to Paige? You've messed with the wrong girl Chelsea! Did you really think I wouldn't find out? And if I did, think that I would just let it go?"

Chelsea looked scared. I had never seen her without that cocky look on her face and I realised that Spencer and her must have had some sort of past. "I don't know what you're talking about" She snarked.

Emily went to move forward but I clutched on to her, making her remain behind her friends. "Let Spencer handle this, babe" I whispered.

Emily relaxed into me again. "She'll take care of it" Emily agreed, as if trying to convince herself that she wasn't needed in this battle.

Spencer whipped out her phone and stuffed it in Chelsea's face. "Tell me who that bitch in the hoodie is then?" Spencer asked knowingly. Chelsea hunched her shoulders at the sight of herself in the photo that she herself had sent to the girls.

It was funny how much a picture could say. Really, that picture caused so much grief without really proving anything. First, it made me look guilty as hell, even though I was just standing there. Then it made Chelsea look guilty as hell, even though she was also just standing there. This whole thing had gotten so blown up from a stupid picture and everyone was treating it like it was the biggest thing in the world. Cell phone cameras were the stupidest invention ever.

"Pretty speechless now huh?" Hanna spoke up.

"What I don't get is why?" Aria added. "Why would you go to so much trouble to bully a sweet girl like Paige who's never done anything to you?"

Neither Megan nor Chelsea spoke.

"Here's the deal." Spencer continued. "Confess, or I'll make sure you wish you confessed. You know me, do you really think I'm messing around here? Spencer spoke so confidently and completely sure that I absolutely didn't want to be Chelsea or Megan right now.

Chelsea shook her head, "It's not going to be that easy." She argued. "You're just going to cause more of a mess for Paige. It's not my fault Emily didn't trust her in the first place. Really, how fake must your relationship have been if you instantly believed that Paige did it anyways?" Chelsea asked, looking at Emily tauntingly. Emily went to lunge at her, screaming profanities but I grabbed onto her, dropping my crutches completely and wrapping my arms around her waist from behind.

"Easy Emily." Megan teased. "Don't want to be fighting in school now do we?" I could see completely what they were trying to do. Get a reaction out of us so they looked innocent. These girls were so shady I honestly didn't know how they lived with themselves. Emily was still trying to pull against me.

"Just let her go Paige" Hanna called. "They deserve Emily beating the living shit out of them. _Again_. I mean really aren't you sick of provoking Emily and Paige? They've both beat your asses on multiple occasions."

"Thanks for the help Hanna!" I said flatly. Encouraging Emily was not helping me right now. We were drawing a lot of attention from the students, the caf was mostly quiet now except for this argument. Emily struggled against me again at Hanna's encouragement and I cursed her for egging Emily on. "Don't you dare" I whispered low in her ear.

Emily sighed, frustrated. "You two are _very _lucky Paige is here with me right now." Emily spat. "If _anything_ would have happened to her you wouldn't want to know what would happen to you. Don't think you've gotten away with this. I'm not letting this go this time" Emily threatened.

Emily shuffled back to my side, kissing my cheek protectively. Spencer stepped in front of us again, getting right up in Chelsea and Megan's face. "Here's the deal. Either you confess or I take you down. I'll get my parents involved and make this a full blown law suit. You've been harassing Paige since she's got here and I have medical documentation of that little incident at the pool. I'm sure the security cameras in the natatorium also show that time you tried to drown her, should anyone ever look at those damn things. I'm giving you one chance to come clean, and then I'm getting others involved, and by the time I'm done with you, you're reputation will be ruined far beyond the walls of Rosewood High. I know you two are dumb as nails, but I figure if you want any shot at community college you'll come clean. " Spencer turned and walked away, not saying another word. It was terrifying.

"You're bluffing!" Megan yelled. "You've got nothing on us!"

Spencer didn't turn, she just walked straight out of the cafeteria, leaving the five of us staring after her in wonder. I really didn't know if she was bluffing or not.

Hanna turned and scoffed at the two girls who had made my life a living hell. "Ask yourself this, is it worth the risk? If Spencer Hastings goes lawyer on your ass, good fucking luck" Hanna strutted over to me, picking up my crutches and handing them to me. "Let's get out of here". Aria, Emily and I nodded in agreement and headed out of the cafeteria, myself fighting the urge to look back at the stares that were burning into my back.

"Just let Spencer take care of it baby" Emily begged me. We were in a little bit of an argument over what Spencer was trying to do with Chelsea and Megan.

I shook my head. "Emily, I just want this to be over with. I don't want anymore fights" I argued.

Emily placed both of her hands over mine. "There won't be any more fights for you. Or me. Spencer has a handle on this and it you don't need to be concerned."

I rolled my eyes. "A few hours ago you were trying to fight them Emily. That does concern me. I appreciate that you want them to feel responsible but I don't want Spencer to go to all of this trouble."

"It's not trouble Paige." Emily started. "It's an obligation. What they did was so wrong. They need to be held responsible, and you need people to see that you didn't do it. If I promise not to pick fights or even look at Chelsea and Megan again, will you promise to let Spencer take care of this?" Emily compromised.

I chuckled at her persistence "How about this. I'll agree to that, but you also have to promise me that you won't give Shana any grief either."

Emily's jaw dropped and she immediately tensed up. "You're kidding right? That girl let you drink uncontrollably, get a tattoo while you were drunk, which I'm willing to forgive only because it's such a turn on" I grinned with pleasure at her compliment. "And she let some guy try and take advantage of you."

"I know what she's done. And I'll deal with it Emily. I don't want more fights and arguments. I've dealt with enough Rosewood drama for a lifetime. " I warned her.

Emily looked at me intensely for a moment. "We still have so much to figure out don't we?" She asked suddenly.

I nodded in sad agreement. "We're getting there. I told you, everything is going to take some time but if I can trust you I know you'll do what's best." I knew it was a low blow to use the trust card but I was being like this for Emily's benefit.

Emily looked hurt but she of course nodded in agreement. "I just wish things could be the way they were before. Perfect, happy, in love"

I put my arm around Emily. "We are all those things Emily. Everything just feels so intense right now I don't want your anger with Shana, Chelsea and Megan so cause you any harm."

Emily groaned. "Only you would do something like this for those reasons. I hate getting in trouble" Emily whined.

I laughed loudly at Emily's childish cuteness. "I'm sorry was I getting you in trouble? If you were in trouble I would have put you on a time out or something" I joked.

Emily looked at me in mock fear. "I wouldn't but that past you" she muttered.

I looked at the time. We'd been sitting in the natatorium alone with our feet dipped in the pool for over an hour, waiting for the meet to start. People were finally starting to show up so I encouraged Emily that she should go be with the team.

"Aren't you coming?" Emily asked.

I shook my head. "I trust that you'll keep your feeling about Chelsea and Megan at bay. Spend some time with the team Emily. I'm going to wait for your mom and then just go sit with her for a bit. I'll meet you by the blocks when it starts."

Emily smiled infectiously. She pulled her feet out of the water, standing up and putting her shoes back on and I shuffled backwards from the pool. Emily knelt down to my feet, using her towel to dry them slowly. She was so gentle with my injured foot, slowly patting the towel on my swollen skin. She was equivalently gentle when she took the tensor wrap and wrapped my ankle back up. Who would have ever thought my girlfriend wrapping my ankle would be so intense. While her one hand gripped my calf while the other carefully wrapped the bandage around my skin. She was so focused I didn't even think she realised this had such an effect on me.

"Thanks doctor Fields" I joked. Emily stood and walked behind me, grabbing under my arms like a toddler and helping me up. She lingered behind me a little longer than necessary, just holding me for a moment before handing me my crutches.

"I'm just happy you walked away with a sprained ankle instead of something far worse" Emily leaned in and gave me a quick kiss. "I'll see you in a little bit"

The meet went great. Sharks won, no big surprise there. There were no more practices this week as the pool was being drained for seasonal cleaning for the holidays. So much had happened lately I forgot Christmas was just around the corner. Coach Fulton left us with a happy holidays and a warning to not let all that training go to waste with turkey and sweets. She was particularly giddy today and I think it might have had something to do with me and Emily getting along again. Although she wasn't thrilled about my injury. I wasn't exactly thrilled about it either after watching my teammates compete without me.

We got back to the Fields house and Emily was taking a shower. I was being a little cranky with her, and I think she picked up on the fact that I needed some alone time. I sat on the bed in her room thinking about how frustrated I was at the fact that I wasn't able to compete tonight. Getting motivated, I rummaged through my things until I found my sports bra and a pair of running shorts. I may have not been able to go for a run, but I could definitely do some minor activity to work up a sweat. I changed into my workout gear and found Emily's yoga mat. I did girl push ups which I despised but relented because I couldn't balance on my ankle, and then began a rigorous set of crunches and sit ups in alteration. For just doing basic moves I was working up quite a sweat and it was making me feel better from watching everyone but me compete today.

**Emily's POV-**

I could tell Paige was a little frustrated after the meet so I decided to give her the alone time she needed so deal with it. One of my big goals with being back together was trying to be understanding of Paige's needs more. If she needed to be alone when she was upset no matter how much I hated it I would try. It made it even harder to do now though, because I wanted nothing more than to be cuddled up with her all the time. I decided to occupy my time with a shower to keep from being tempted to go and sit in my room with Paige.

I let my muscles relax under the hot water after the meet and let my mind wander. Of course it wandered to Paige right away. How much could you think of someone before getting sick of them? It must be a lot because I've thought about Paige for so much time in the months I've known her and it only makes me yearn for her more. I felt like my shower was long enough to I turned the water of and wrapped myself in a towel, along with putting my hair in a towel before leaving the bathroom and scurrying over to my room.

As I opened the door I froze in place, temporarily paralyzed at the sight Paige was giving me. She was facing the door, down on my yoga mat in nothing but a sports bra and shorts going crunches. My breathing ceased as I watching her in completely stunned. Her abs (her perfect fucking abs!) flexed consistently each time she moved and were glistening with a sheen of sweat on her stomach. I glanced at her toned arms, neck and collar bone as she moved before I looked down at her abs again as she moved. I nearly spontaneously combusted at the next sight. Her tattoo. Her sexy fucking tattoo. I stared at it longingly, taking in the intricate design of the anchor on her hip as her stomach contracted with her movements. I've seen a lot of amazing things in my life but I don't think this image could ever be topped. This was burned in my mind as the hottest thing I had ever seen. Screw taking it slow, I needed to touch and caress that tattoo. I needed to feel Paige's godly abs and pin her lips with mine.

As if Paige finally realised I was gawking at her, she stopped her movements and looked at me, sitting up. "Emily?" She asked. I didn't bother looking at her face, I just looked at her tattoo and subtly licked my lips.

"What are you doing!" I asked, breathless from the sight I was still experiencing.

"Well I just thought I'd get a few exercises in since I can't run" Paige explained. I wanted to laugh at her typical Paige hardcore mode but I was too turned on to talk about that.

"Shut up" I grunted, still staring at her, hungry for her.

"Uh, what?" She asked, perplexed by my demand.

I bounded over to her, practically pouncing on her, pushing her back laying down on the mat before hungrily kissing her. "I. Said. Shut. Up." I spoke each word as I needingly collided my lips with hers. My hand had already snaked down her body, running over her perfect stomach before reaching her hip. I ran my thumb along her tattoo, not bothering to look just yet as I continued to passionately (lets face it, hornily) kiss her. I forced my tongue to her mouth, finding hers and moving them together quickly and smoothly. She had spread her legs so I was laying completely between her, my entire body directly on top of hers. Feeling her body underneath me had me coming more undone then I had thought possible.

I moved my lips to Paige's neck, sucking the soft, delicious skin as she gripped my hair and began running her other over my towel covered body, eventually resting on my ass.

"What's all this?" Paige asking teasingly, although clearly out of breath.

"You. Shouldn't. Look. This. Sexy." I said between kisses. "Without expecting this!" I kissed down her clavicle, skipping over her sports bra to her stomach. I ran my tongue along the expanse of her abs, savoring the taste and feel of her skin. I settled to the skin I had wanted to feel the most. I placed a soft, lingering kiss to Paige's inked hip. I moaned at the close sight of her ridiculously hot tattoo. Seriously, I couldn't even handle how amazing the damn thing suited Paige. It would torture me for the rest of my life.

Paige Grabbed my hair and pulled me back up to her lips, hungrily moving them against mine. I dominated the kiss once again, subtly grinding against her, unaware of the fact I was still in a towel and she was in very little clothing. Unaware that my mother was standing in my doorway.

"EMILY FIELDS!" my mom suddenly yelled. I jumped, first out of shock and then out of hastiness to cover up what I was doing. I had been caught red handed with Paige, probably moments before it went a hell of a lot further. I wasn't even embarrassed by this, I was frustrated that I wouldn't be able to finish worshiping Paige's body.

I groaned at my mom standing there, arms crossed, glaring at me menacingly. "First of all, what did I tell you two about the rules of this house?" She asked. Paige hung her head in embarrassment and defeat and I stared at my mom, keeping completely silent. My mom turned to Paige. "Oh please Paige, I can see you had nothing to do with this! It seems like my daughter can't keep it in her pants" My mouth dropped in shock. My mom had never spoke like that before, she was usually so collected and, well, motherly.

"Mom!" I yelled, covering my face in my hands. This had taken a completely unexpected turn. I was expecting her to be surprised and awkward but instead was making it out to be that I was some horny teenager that couldn't control my hormones. Ok so maybe she was right but still, she was my mother, she was supposed to think I was innocent and blame Paige for all of this.

Paige burst out in a fit of laugher, rolling over comically and holding her stomach. "And we'll talk about that tattoo later!" My mom added sternly, effectively ending Paige's laughter in a halt, replaced by a look of guilt and fear.

She turned back to me, maintaining that stern look, "As for you. You know the rules. I get that Paige in a sports bra might be… appealing to you, but she's trying to get her exercise, its rude to be crawling all over her like that honey" I couldn't believe the way my mom was taking this. As if it was completely my fault. Paige shouldn't be _allowed_ to wear only a sports bra. "I think Paige will also be staying on the couch from now on, since you clearly can't keep your… urges to yourself" My mom continued.

"MOM!" I yelled, completely embarrassed at this point, but also unwilling to let Paige sleep alone while we were in the same house. "Seriously mom! We'll be good now I promise. _I'll _be behaved. Don't make her sleep on the couch please." I begged desperately. "We'll be fully clothed and I'll leave the door wide open. You can check on us hourly, I promise all we do is sleep!" I ranted. "Mom please! I feel safer when Paige is with me. She can't leave when I'm holding on to her." I explained. I hadn't intended on saying the last part aloud but it kind of came out in my rant. Both Paige and my mother looked at me intensely and I shrugged.

"I feel safer too" Paige said quietly, almost as if she as embarrassed to be speaking about her vulnerability. "I don't feel alone when Emily is with me" My heart ached once again because of Paige's admission.

My mom nodded thoughtfully. "You two are too much." She grumbled. "You're lucky I love you both so much. Keep the door open and Paige," My mom looked at Paige, almost cracking a smile. "Put a shirt on please" With that, my mom turned on her heels and walked out the door.

I turned and faced Paige, kneeling down to her and burying my face in her shoulder. "Tell me that didn't just happen" I mumbled.

Paige chuckled. "That happened. And I didn't even get in trouble, you did" Paige laughed.

I playfully smacked her shoulder. "Hey! You started it by working out in my room. It's not my fault you have to exercise half naked"

"Says the girl in the towel" Paige shot back.

"Why don't we both get dressed and I can help you with your schoolwork?" I offered, giving Paige my hands to help her up.

"Deal."

After a few hours of helping Paige catching up in her classes she'd been skipping we decided to take a break and lay on my bed. We were just hanging around when m phone started ringing. I checked the caller ID to see it was Spencer.

"Hello?"

"Emily? Sorry to call you but you'll never guess the latest?" Spencer spoke excitedly.

I laughed. "Wow Spence, is Hanna rubbing off on you, I didn't know you were big into the rumor mill?"

"No no no no no! Normally I don't care but _apparently _Megan and Chelsea confessed! Coach Fulton heard them scrambling together a plan and talking about us in the locker room after the meet, some of the girls overheard the conversation as well! I guess Fulton even went so far as to check those security tapes and saw the drowning incident. The truth is out Emily! They confessed after Coach Fulton basically told them they were busted! There really is proof Paige was being harassed by them. " I could hear the pride in Spencer voice knowing that she'd solved the problem. I smiled widely, knowing Paige wouldn't have to go to school worrying about what people were going to say or do to her. On top of that, Chelsea and Megan were getting the punishment they deserved.

"So the cops know?" I asked.

"The cops know" Spencer affirmed. "They went and confessed, allegedly. I heard this all from Aria who heard it from Holden who was talking to some guys at the gym. I'm sure we'll hear all about it tomorrow. Anyway I just though you should be the one Paige hears this from, so I thought I'd call you."

"Thanks Spencer" I said appreciatively. "Seriously, thank you so much for everything" I looked at Paige who was looking at me in question. I just smiled at her as me and Spencer exchanged our goodbyes.

"What was that all about?" Paige asked as soon as I hung up.

"It's done Paige. Megan and Chelsea were caught after Spencer sent them scrambling. By tomorrow morning, everyone is going to know the truth."

"Really?" Paige asked. I could see the happiness in her deep eyes and I knew this was bothering her before more than she was letting on. I nodded my head. Paige engulfed me in a huge, tight bear hug. "Spencer is a miracle worker!"

"Please don't tell her that" I groaned. "Her ego is big enough as it is!"

"I can finally rest easy!" Paige smiled. "It's kind of draining knowing everyone as school hates you."

I frowned for a moment, before deciding to let that one go. "Well you don't have to worry about that anymore"

"That's it! I'm not going." I stated. We had both woke early the next morning with my arms wrapped around Paige from behind. We stayed spooning, just enjoying each other and being silent. It finally felt as though everything was coming back together. Today, we could go to school and Paige wouldn't be worried and hiding all the time. She could finally talk to people and feel welcome in Rosewood again. It was the perfect bliss, until I remembered that in 5 days I was leaving for Germany to visit my dad for the holidays. I was struck with realizing that Paige was not a part of this trip and I couldn't bring myself to leave her. Not so soon seeing as we just got back together. I still had so much to prove to her and leaving would only worry me.

"You have to go Em. You want to. You havn't seen your dad in so long and it's the holidays, you need to be with your family. Stop worrying about me, I'll be fine. I'll probably just spend most of my time with Kelly's family anyways. McCullers are always busy with the church stuff over the holidays and I try not to stay too involved." Paige explained. "Go. Be with your father. I'm not letting you stay here because of me"

I huffed at that. Paige was right, I missed my dad to bits but leaving Paige right now just seemed like too much. "Paaige" I whined. "I don't want to be without you for two weeks! I'll miss you to much" I sounded like a child but I really didn't care.

Paige laughed a little, rolling over so she was facing me now. She rested our foreheads together so I could look into her deep chocolate eyes. "This isn't making the idea of me leaving any easier" I mumbled. Her piercing eyes would be what I missed the most.

Paige brushed her thumb along my lower lip. "I know you'll miss me, and I'll miss you too. But you miss your dad more, and you haven't seen him in so long. I couldn't possibly take you away from _him_." Paige joked. "Besides, there's this wonderful invention called Skype. You'll get to see me every day. Seriously Em it'll be like I'm right there in Germany with you."

Paige didn't realise it, but she caused the greatest epiphany for me. "You know…" I trailed off, trying to think of how to word this to Paige. "You said this was a family trip right? That I should be with family over the holidays?" My voice was full of hope and I worried it was giving me away. I needed to talk Paige into a corner so she could do nothing but agree.

"Yes?" Paige answered cautiously. "Well… my mom always says you're like one of the family." I hinted.

Paige looked at me in confusion. "What are you getting at Emily?"

I sighed. She was going to make me officially invite her. "Come with me." I offered. "To Germany, for the holidays. We could be together, you could meet my dad, and you said it yourself, the McCullers are to busy over the holidays anyways! Come be with my family Paige. You're other family."

Just for a moment, really a split second, I saw the excitement and joy in Paige's eyes. Her expressive eyes told a story where she was picturing going with me. If I had of blinked I would have missed this give away. Now her eyes were sad, apologetic even. "I can't do that Emily. I don't want to intrude on the time with your dad."

That of course would be Paige's worry. I wasn't letting her find a way out of this. "To bad I'm gonna ask my mom this morning! Seriously Paige, unless _you_ tell me you don't want to go, I'm going to make this work. Answer me Paige, its me and you, in Germany, over the holidays, Do you want to be there with me?" I looked at her eyes, looking for any hint I was wrong.

Her eyes rolled. "Is that seriously a question" She mumbled. I knew I had her, now I justed needed her to say the words.

"That's not an answer" I scolded.

Paige sighed in defeat. "Yes" She whispered. "But Em—"

"No buts!" I cut her off. "Unless it's yours of course, cause' it's really cute" I joked.

Paige laughed at my lame joke. "You're too adorable to resist sometimes" Paige said. "But Emily, are you sure you wanna put your mom in that position? I don't want her to feel obligate to say yes"

"Paige let me worry about that ok? I'll take care of it, and just for you I'll make sure she doesn't feel _obligated_." I assured her. "Now can you be excited for just a moment? In 5 days we could be on a plane together to Germany! How perfect is this going to be?" I gushed.

Paige cracked a wide smile, finally showing her true excitement to the idea. "I don't think anything sounds better than being with my girlfriend, and being out of Rosewood. I think this is exactly what we need" Paige agreed.

My heart went wild at two things she said. 'girlfriend' made my heart jump because it was the first time she referred to me as that in too long. The big thing that put a smile on my face for the rest of the day was that she thinks it was what 'we need'. She was thinking about us when I assumed she'd been thinking about getting herself better. She wanted this for _us_ just as much as I did and it gave me hope that things would eventually go back to how happy we were before. In fact, I knew they were already better than before because this intense bond we had formed in the past few days of being back together was too strong for anyone to break.

I pressed my lips to her gently, happily. We were both smiling into the kiss, bursting with excitement over the possibility of what was to come in the next few weeks. My mom had better say yes.


	21. Chapter 21

**AN- Kind worn out with this today but here it is! Didn't edit it which I will probably come to regret but to be honest, right now, I just don't care. **

**Thank you everybody for reading, reviewing, following and favoriting it all means a lot to me and I say that a lot :) **

**This was originally going to be one very very long chapter but I don't know when I'll have time to write again so I figured I'd just post what I've got. ALSO, this keeps getting harder and harder to write as I go on, so have fun with the last part of this chapter. I hope you can all still look at me the same way after it? yeah. **

**Emily's POV-**

"So you're mom caught you jumping Paige in nothing but a towel and she _still _let you sleep in the same bed?" Hanna asked, flabbergasted. I nodded in agreement. "Wow. You're mom must reeeeaaaly like Paige then. My mom would have sent the girl packing in a second. She couldn't even stand having Caleb in the basement when we weren't even together!"

"That was because you lied Hanna" I reminded her.

Hanna rolled her eyes. "Not the point. So anyway was that all you wanted to talk about?" Hanna pressed.

I had gone over to her house with Aria after school today because I really needed someone's opinion on the whole Paige situation. Paige was at Spencer's, getting help with Calculus that she had fallen behind on. I needed Hanna and Aria's advice on how to show Paige she didn't have to be worried about me anymore, as well as tips on how to ask my mom to let Paige come to Germany. They had both had a lifetime of experience asking too much from their parents so they must have known how to do it by now.

"Not everything" I started. "I don't know how to talk to Paige."

They both looked at me in confusion. "Explain" Aria urged me.

"I mean, we're back together and things are _amazing_, I mean things are really intense. It's kind of nice but a little scary. I think we're both so afraid to lose each other right now it's making talking to her about everything harder. I don't want to upset her." I explained. It was nice to finally let out my issues to my friends.

They both looked at me in understanding. "I'm confused though Emily. I thought you guys had dealt with the entire memorial problem already?" Hanna asked.

I shook my head. The accusation wasn't exactly what was bugging me anymore, although I still hadn't forgave myself for accusing Paige. What was bugging me was why we had fought in the first place that night. I needed to explain everything to her somehow but I couldn't think of the right time and place to bring it up. "I was thinking more about the Jenna thing. And the stuff with Allison's disappearance. You know? All of the times we've been screwed over by people and why its so hard to let anyone in. I _want _to let Paige in but I can't lose her guys. Not now. Not while I've just got her back" I was completely in tears now. I couldn't think of any way to bring this up without crying.

Aria and Hanna rushed to my side, giving me a big group hug. "Shhhh, Emily you don't need to get so worked up over this. I doubt Paige is even upset about that anymore." Aria reassured.

"She's right, Em" Hanna agreed. "You can't be afraid to talk to Paige for the sake of your relationship. That's what got us all in to this mess in the first place. We need to be completely honest with each other, that's how we've gotten though everything. And Paige is one of us now, you should trust that she'll be understanding." Hanna said.

Hanna was right. It came down to trust again. I did trust Paige, it was myself that I was having problems with. "You guys are right" I agreed, wiping my tears away. "I can't make it seem like I don't trust her, because I do trust her, more than anything." I ruled.

Aria nodded, "It would destroy her, again, if she thought after all of this struggling you still didn't trust her. Don't make her think that Emily. You need to sit down and talk to her. When the time is right."

That brought me to my next point. "There's actually something else I needed your help with…you know how I'm going to Germany for the Holidays to visit my dad?"

"YES!" Hanna cut in. "god, I'm so jealous! I wish my family did cool shit like that for the holidays. We just eat a lot and bicker a lot. Why? Do you want us to babysit Paige while you're gone? I'll volunteer because I'm sure she'd make a kickass date to my family events! Caleb is going to be in Cali for the holidays with his mom." Hanna babbled.

"Let her finish, Han!" Aria interrupted.

I laughed at the oh so typical Hanna and continued on. "What I was getting at was, I want to bring her to Germany with me. She said the McCullers are always busy with church organizations anyways so she was just going to stay with Kelly. I want her to be with me. She could meet my dad finally and I wouldn't have to worry about her hanging out with Shana or something"

Aria and Hanna both looked at me like I was crazy. "Wait a second, you really think Paige's dad is going to let her go to Germany with you? Paige told me about their last conversation. How in the hell.." Hanna trailed off.

"Paige has her passport here. I figured we'd just tell him as we were leaving? Or when we got back? Maybe not seeing his daughter at all over the holidays would be a good shock to his system." I huffed. I hated Paige's parents almost as much as my mom did right now.

"Uhh.. Ok say you deal with that part of the problem, there's still two big things, your mom and oh maybe getting a plane ticket for her in 5 days!? It's the holidays Em. People are flying around the world all willy nilly!" Hanna cautioned.

"Well that's kind of what I needed your help with. I got Paige to agree, as long as my mom did. How do I get my mom to agree?" I asked.

They both looked at each other and cracked a smile. "Emily Fields! Parent Trap 101! Welcome to the class, you're being taught by the two best in the state." Hanna smirked.

Aria rolled her eyes at Hanna and looked at me. "Emily just ask your mom! She doesn't want Paige alone over the holidays either. Just hint that you're worried about her, because you are, and see what she says. She might even suggest the idea before you do. No need to lie for this one, you mom absolutely adores Paige."

"She is quite the parent pleaser" I mumbled in agreement.

Aria was right though, the way my mom felt about Paige lately it wouldn't be that difficult to get her to agree, especially if I brought it up as in I was worrying about Paige. "Thanks guys!" I agreed quickly. "I need to get home before Paige does so I can talk to my mom"

I got home and basically had a little impromptu script planned out on what I was going to say. I walked in the door and got straight to business, not sure when Spencer would be dropping Paige off.

"Hey Emily!" My mom called cheerily from the kitchen.

I ducked my head, playing it up a little. "Mom can I talk to you for a minute?"

My mom's smile dropped and she went into mega concern mode. "Of course, what's going on Emmy?"

"You might think it's really stupid but I was talking to the girls and they were talking about how excited they were to be off from school for the Holidays next week. It got me thinking, and, I'm worried about Paige." I let my mom process that.

"About Paige being alone over the holidays?" My mom confirmed. I nodded my head. "I actually hadn't thought about that. I've been running around crazy trying to get everything organised for that trip of ours, to be honest, I didn't even think about Paige's situation for the next two weeks!"

My mom was following the bait. "I just don't know what she's gonna do. She said she usually stays with Kelly but I mean of course she'd go see her real family right? It's Christmas." I reasoned. Now that I was talking about it I realized it actually did worry me more than I thought.

"Emmy. As much as it might hurt you, she does have a family outside of us. How they treat her is a different story but they are there."

"Mom! She's been through so much lately and I'm afraid of her spending time with them! What if they say something to get her upset? Who's going to make sure she doesn't do something?" I felt sick just thinking about being away for the first time she'll see her father in months. Her mom had apparently visited her a couple times but she hadn't actually talked to her father since their last phone call.

My mom pressed her finger to her temple, trying to think of a solution. "I think, after the holidays, it would be a good idea that I go and meet her family." My mom said slowly. "As for right now, why don't we give Paige her Christmas present a little early?" My mom pulled out a card and handed it to me. "Open it" She encouraged, smiling.

"I don't see how this.." I stopped as soon as I saw what was inside. A plane ticket, destination Germany with Paige's name on it. "How did you?" I asked, although now I was smiling so wide, unable to contain my excitement.

"Sell off. Guess there was an extra seat on the plane anyhow. I don't want Paige without a family on the holidays either Emily. I figured we could go two ways on the ticket? A nice Christmas present from us both? I hope Paige isn't to upset, I rummaged through her bag to find her passport."

"I don't think Paige is going to be anything but happy!" I exclaimed. "Thank you mom!" I engulfed her in a big hug. "You don't even know how much this means to me! I can't wait to spend Christmas with dad _and_ Paige! In Germany!" I was rambling on about how amazing this trip was going to be. "Seriously best Christmas ever!" I shouted like a little kid.

My mom just laughed at me. "There is one little hiccup to deal with, but I want you to leave it to me ok?"

My smiled faltered for a moment, knowing exactly what she was talking about. "Her parents."

My mom nodded. "I'm not asking their permission. Paige is 17, she can travel without her parents. I'm going to call her mom, explain the _opportunity_ we've been given. From everything I've gathered, Paige's mom is a little more reasonable. I'll just tell her we got an extra ticket and we'll probably be touring some schools in Germany or something?"

"You're going to lie!?" I asked. My mom was usually all about the honesty.

"No. We might tour some schools in Germany. Although there is no way in hell you're going to school halfway across the world." My mom joked.

"Do whatever you need to do to make sure Paige can go!" I encouraged. "So can we tell her tonight? Can we give the present to her tonight?" This was perfect. I was still trying to think of the perfect gift to get Paige and buying her a plane ticket to Germany so she could be with me seemed like a gift for both of us.

"Of course! She's going to need to pack. I'm also just thankful by the time we leave she'll be off those crutches. Hopefully walking won't be too much for her."

I gave my mom a sarcastic look. "Is anything ever 'too much' for Paige?"

My mom laughed. "I suppose not. Alright, sign the card and let's get started on some dinner. Paige should be home soon right?" I checked my phone and saw that she and Spencer had just left the Hastings. I liked that her and Spencer were spending a bit of time together. I still noticed there was a bit of tension between the two of them, and I had hoped spending time together would fix that.

When I saw Spencer pull up to the driveway I rushed outside to help Paige crutch herself to the door. Before I did that I gave her a soft, lingering kiss, trying to convey that I missed her, even it if had only been a couple of hours.

"Hey" Paige whispered, smiling against my lips.

I pulled away, waving to Spencer who gave me a smile before driving away. We made our way inside, myself pushing Paige a little quicker, excited to give her the early gift.

"Why the rush, Em?" Paige asked.

I didn't answer her, I just rushed her through the door and ushered to the kitchen table. We sat down, having a nice dinner and chatting idly with my mom. I was practically bouncing in my seat, waiting for my mom to give Paige the card. Paige shot me a few questioning looks and my mom rolled her eyes at me.

"I think Emily's going to burst if I don't give you this in the next 5 minutes" My mom started. She pulled the card from underneath her place mat and gave it to Paige. "Seeing as we're going to be away for the holidays, I figured I'd give you your present _before_ we leave." My mom hinted.

Paige was probably still clueless, as she never liked to assume things. "Open it!" I encouraged.

"Jeepers, Em! Give me two seconds." Paige looked at my mom. "Thank you, you didn't have to get me anything."

"Just open it!" now it was my mom yelling.

"Okay, okay!" Paige agreed, tearing the sealed, red festive envelope and opening the card. I heard the little gasp that left her mouth as the plane ticket fell out. "you didn't…" Paige took the plane ticket in her hand and examined it, as if checking it was real. "Me and Emily talked about this but… _you got me a ticket already?_" Paige was completely shocked.

"Merry Christmas Paige." My mom said happily. "It's from the both of us. Being with the people you love is important at this time of year."

"I can't let you just give me a plane ticket for Christmas! I have nothing in return that could compare to this!" Paige whispered. Her eyes were wide and I could see that she was excited, but worried.

My mom stood up, walking over to Paige and kneeling beside her. "I don't want anything, Paige. You've done so much for my Emmy and I want you to be a part of our vacation. It's a gift enough that a girl like you has entered Emily's life. I couldn't ask for a better girlfriend for my daughter. Accept the ticket, Paige. It's from Emily too"

Paige pulled my mom into a hug. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Paige said. "Seriously, best present ever."

"You're very welcome Paige. Now, I've got to run into the office for a bit so I trust you and Emily will clean up and go to bed." My mom looked at me sternly. "Behave Emily." My mom turned and went out the door. I guessed she also wanted to give me and Paige a little privacy so Paige could talk to me about the gift.

"Wow" Paige murmured, still looking at the ticket. "You guys, you're really amazing"

I smiled, pulling Paige up into my arms. "You're welcome. I didn't even have to ask my mom about you going, by the way. The ticket was her idea and I hope you like it as a present"

Paige looked at me leaning in for a quick kiss. "Spending the holidays with my beautiful girlfriend in Germany? What more could I ask for out of a present?" Paige went to pull away but I grabbed her face and pulled it to mine, starting a slow, passionate kiss. The way her mouth moved with mine, it never got old. I could kiss her for hours on end and still be complete infatuated with what she was doing to me.

I stopped for a moment, brushing some of there hair away from Paige's face. "are you happy about this?" I whispered. "You don't seem excited"

Paige looked at me, stunned, before breaking out in a beautifully wide smile. She poked my side before laughing. "Oh course I'm happy!" She assured me. "It's been a long time since I've been this excited for something"

"I just want to make sure I'm not pushing this on you, that's all." I explained.

Paige looked at me sarcastically. "Emily Fields there is nothing I want more than to meet your dad and spend the holidays with you. The Germany part is just an amazing bonus that I am also excited for" Paige smiled at me.

I smiled back, but I realised that there was still this cloud hanging over us. There were still words unsaid between us and I wanted to deal with it now. "Paige? Can we talk now? About everything." My voice was small, afraid of upsetting her by bringing this stuff up.

Paige tensed a little but sighed. "Lets go sit in the living room?" Paige offered. She nixed using her crutches and walked the short distance to the living room. I was happy she wasn't limping, a good sign that she would be just fine for germany. Paige sat down first, and I left a little distance between us, not sure if she would want to be close for this conversation. Paige looked at the distance between us, almost knowingly before she grabbed my waist and pulled me close. Her hands didn't move away from my body as she looked me in the eyes. "No more distance. I don't like it" She whispered.

My stomach did flips at her words but I fought it off, ready to speak. "I think we've dealt with the memorial thing. You say you're okay with that now but there's still this heaviness between us sometimes that scares me."

"We have dealt with what Chelsea and Megan did." Paige agreed. "As much as we can. That heaviness, this is going to sound really cheesy but it's still the trust thing. I'm so afraid I'm going to lose you again." I went to speak but Paige stopped me. "It's not completely your fault either, as I'm realising. I should not have freaked out over something in your past. I should have trusted that you were the same Emily I loved. If I hadn't have questioned that, this whole problem would have never happened" I wanted to smack Paige. But at the same time I wanted to kiss her pain away. I hated how no matter what the problem was she would always find a fault in herself.

"I don't want you to think any of this is your fault Paige. That's what bothers me the most right now. I know you're happy, I can see that. But I also see how sad you are sometimes. I would do anything to make sure I never see that look again" It was awful seeing Paige's beautiful mouth turned down in a frown. And her amazing eyes, expressing hurt and loneliness. "Can I explain everything to you?" Paige nodded, encouraging me to go on. "I told you Allison's pull she had on people, I don't like reliving the memory of being one of her minions, eventhough at the time I may have enjoyed it. The trust issue though, that's something me and the girls have all had to face. Allison made us believe that we couldn't trust anyone but eachother. She fed that bullshit of never letting anyone else in because we'd get screwed over. I guess each of us just started to believe it, one after the other, until we were so bound together by Allison that people outside of us didn't matter anymore."

"So Allison is the reason you're all friends?" Paige asked sceptically.

"Yeah, for the most part, she brought us all together with her manipulation and her lies. After her disappearance, we drifted apart for a little bit, until her body was found" I explained.

"So in a way, finding her brought you guys back together again?" Paige questioned.

I guess Paige was right, but I owed Paige the full explanation. "Not exactly. Ian, remember the guy I was telling you about that murdered Allison? He stalked us, sent us threatening messages and told us he would expose our secrets." I kept the explanation brief. As much as I wanted to tell Paige the entire story, it wasn't just my secret, it was the other girls as well.

"Did you go to the cops?"

"We were so young, and afraid. It was all anonymous, we had no idea who it was. It took a lot of digging to find out it was him, but we eventually figured it out and were able to bust him. He tried to kill Spencer you know?" Paige let out a gasp and I just kept going. "That's how he was caught for Allison's that, it was so hard to let anyone else in. We all got so used to keeping secrets and only talking to each other we kind of shut the rest of the world out. And then it seemed as though every time we opened up to someone knew we'd end up getting screwed over anyways. I guess that's just life though." Paige deserved better than that. "I'm sorry, for letting my past effect my faith in you."

Paige smiled at me, but of course it didn't reach her eyes. "can't I apologize to you? For judging you for your past? That was wrong of me, Em. It just threw me off guard. I needed time to process it but I shouldn't have made you feel like I was walking away. Wow, this all happened so long ago" Paige commented.

I looked back at that night, remembered the feeling of her walking away from me in anger and how much it had hurt me. It probably paled in comparison to how Paige felt when I had accused her of destroying Allison's memorial, but it is nice to hear Paige apologise, no matter how unnecessary it is.

"I would never hold that against you Paige. It's who you are, how you deal with things. It's hard for me, letting you walk away, deal with your anger on your own. Because, I'd rather have you talk to me, yell at me even. I would rather wrap my arms around you and let you sob or swear, whatever you do when you're really pissed. I guess I just want to be there for you all the time, and you don't really need that." I explained. It was true, Paige had her own way of dealing with things that didn't involve me, even though I leaned on her so much when I was upset or mad.

Paige grabbed my face, a little roughly even, and looked me in the eyes. "Don't you _ever_ think that I don't need you Emily. I need you, when I'm mad I still need you. I won't walk away ever again if you think that's what it means. I'm angry that you think that, but am I walking now?" Paige asked.

I shook my head, and Paige loosened her grip on my face, lightly brushing the skin she was holding so tightly a moment ago. "I didn't mean it like that. I just meant that I promise to be more understanding of your needs, now that I've learned my lesson"

Paige laughed a little. "I just told you that I needed you, do you _understand _that."

"Yes." I answered immediately. "Actually no" Paige looked at me, almost like she was angry again. "Paige, please don't take this the wrong way but why would you take me back after all that I've done?" I asked.

Paige didn't falter for a second. "Because I love you. And despite what I thought, you love me too. You've saved me so many times Emily. You're compassionate, you're caring, you're the most honestly _good _person that I know. So you made a mistake, I can forgive you for that. I have forgiven you for that. I told you this before, you've made me so happy Emily. I was… lost without you, you saw it. I couldn't even take care of myself." That same look of vulnerability was showing on Paige's face again. "I told you, don't question why I'm with you. That upsets me more than anything else. Do I not show it enough?"

I thought about everything Paige did for a moment. Of course she loved me, I could tell just by looking in her eyes. Wow, it was cheesy but it was beyond true. I threw myself at Paige, literally, jumped on top of her and kissed her breathless. It was the strangest combination of passion and undeniable lust that drove this kiss. Paige returned the feelings, knotting her fingers in my hair while I moved one hand to the nape of her neck, while the other caressed her arm. I was full on straddling Paige on the couch now, and even if my mom had come home I really didn't think I'd have the decency to stop.

This felt so different than our other kisses lately. Before, we were so desparate for each other, each moment was filled with a fear that we were still falling apart. The doubt had taken more away from our relationship than I had realised. Now, the doubt had disappeared. I knew where Paige and I stood and I felt the weight being lifted off my chest, like I could finally breathe again knowing me and Paige were meant to be. I felt joyful tears roll down my cheeks knowing, after everything that happened, things were definite between me and Paige. That stress was finally gone. I slowed the kiss down, wanting to take this moment of finally, officially making up, and make it last for as long as possible.

"Want to go upstairs?" Paige whispered against my lips.

_Yes yes yes! _"mmm" I moaned against her mouth. I wanted that, but I also didn't want to separate from her to make it _all the way_ up the stairs to my bedroom. Would it not be romantic enough to just do it here on the living room furniture?

Paige loosened her grip from my hair, pulling away from me. I reluctantly stood up, taking Paige's hands and guiding her up with me. I gestured to her crutches but she scoffed and started walking for the stairs. She didn't limp, which I noted in the back of my mind as a good thing but at present, I was too busy staring at the back side of my beautiful, perfect girlfriend whom I was following up the stairs, closely behind her.

We made it to my bedroom and I took her hands again, pushing her gently down on the bed. Paige pulled me down on top of her gently, setting the pace that we both wanted for this moment. She looked at me carefully, caressing my cheek, brushing away the tears that hadn't completely vanished. That simple gesture heated my entire body, and I knew right away, physical needs for Paige aside, this night was going to be amazing.

**Paige's POV-**

I saw the eminence of Emily's tears as I pulled her down on top of me. I knew from the look in her eyes they were happy tears, but still, I brushed them away, feeling her intimate gaze on me. She leaned down and kissed me, slowly, passionately before her tongue ran along my bottom lip, eventually finding its entrance, moving along with mine. Things were on a whole different level tonight, and I remembered what Hanna had said about makeup sex. This was completely _not_ what Hanna was thinking, but she still had it right when she said that I would be amazing. All thoughts of anyone but Emily were pushed out of my mind when I felt her breathy moan against my mouth. I moved to kissing her neck, but Emily apparently had her own agenda tonight because she pushed my away and began kissing my neck instead. I wasn't in any rush to fight the passion Emily was giving me.

Slowly, gently, Emily nibbled on my ear, taking the lobe into my mouth and tugging softly. It was perfectly slow, but also unbearably torturing. I let out a gasp as I felt her hot breath against my ear.

"You're so amazing." Emily whispered. I went to pull her face back so I could kiss her properly but she just held her position, chuckling softly against my ear. "Oh no no, right now is about _you_" that was it. I was done, she had me right then and there. I gave up completely after that because if there was one person that could beat me at anything, Emily would be that girl. And for some reason, giving into her didn't feel like losing. No, I was definitely the winner of this round.

Emily when back to kissing my neck, sucking hard on my pulse, in turn making me let out another moan. Emily moaned with me. I felt her hand sneak up the hem of my shirt, running over my hip, tickling the skin where my tattoo was located. Apparently I would never have to worry about Emily not liking the tattoo, it had become a little obsession of hers. She pushed my shirt up, breaking away from my neck momentarily to pull the fabric from my body. She wasted no time in finding my skin with her lips again, this time moving to my chest, kissing my left breast, right above my bra, near my heart. Her soft kisses on my skin slowed time down again, reminded me that it would never be just lust between me and Emily. My body and mind were screaming with want for Emily. Her hand still toyed with the skin at my hip, and it was beginning to drive me crazy. Without much thought, I reached for Emily's shirt, needing to see and feel her skin as well, if she was going to be slow, I wanted to be on the same level with her. She raised her arms, allowing me to pull her t-shirt over her head easily. I stared at her body, realizing this is the first time I've _really_ seen it in a very long time. I couldn't help my self from pulling her down on top of me, kissing her tan flesh all the way down between her breasts. I teased her a little, kissing and kneading her breasts over the fabric of her bra. Now it was Emily moaning and squirming.

"Paaige" She moaned. I wanted to cry at how incredible it was hearing her moan my name. It only drove me further, reaching to her back and unclipping her bra, with one hand I might add. That was impressive, I didn't know I had that in me. I threw the material away, lowering my mouth to Emily's perfect nipple and taking it into my mouth while my hand continued toying with her other. Emily cried out, pushing her breasts further into my mouth and hand. I smiled slightly against her skin, before continuing my task of making Emily feel good. Somewhere in the middle of my bliss of playing with Emily's boobs, she managed to get my bra off as well. I felt her push me back down on the bed, before climbing down on my and taking over once again. She returned the favor, kneading and sucking on my breasts, making appreciative noises that were almost better than what she was doing to me. Almost.

This lasted for a little while, before she began kissing down my body, spending even more time running her tongue along my stomach before reaching my tattoo. I heard a little whimper escape her mouth, which burned through my entire core. "So fucking hot" she murmured, kissing it teasingly.

I couldn't take this anymore. "Em." I groaned. "You're killing me!" I meant that in the best way possible and by the devilish grin she gave me, she knew that too.

Her hand reaching up, lacing her fingers with mine while her other hand undid the buttons of my jeans. We had to momentarily break apart to get the stupid denim off my body but once the tight fabric was gone, we resumed the same position and Emily continued her slow, mesmerizing pace. She continued kissing down my body, all the way to my inner thigh while her other hand was caressing the length of my leg. "You're a really special girl, did you know that?" Emily asked, whispering against my thigh. I felt her thumb hook into my underwear. "did you know that you're loved more than anybody?" she slowly pulled the last piece of fabric on my body down. "did you know that you mean the world to me?" she threw my underwear to the random pile of discarded clothing. "Tell me that you know, Paige" she whispered. The way Emily was teasing me was completely unfair, using my insecurities against me. My old insecurities, because now, I understood completely what Emily meant.

"I know" I whispered. "And you know"

Emily tugged her pants off, leaving me completely naked and her only in a pair of fairly skimpy white panties. I pulled her up to me, looking into her eyes and falling in love all over again. We had this level of understanding right now that was indescribable. We wanted each other so much. I felt Emily capture my lips, grinding her knee to my center slowly, causing me to let out a loud moan.

Her hand snaked down my body, quicker this time, realising that I wasn't willing to wait much longer. She had such a good read on my needs, how I wanted things to go it was really something else. She slowed down as she reached my center, trailing her fingers along my inner thighs before tentavely running a finger through my folds. I slammed my eyes shut at the sensation of her long finger in my sensitive area. She paused for a moment, and like I was reading her mind I knew she wanted me to open my eyes and look at her. I complied to her unspoken request and stared at her. We didn't have a need for words, our bodies were doing the talking right now. She gently scooted her finger across my clit, making me groan even more as she went back, inserting a finger in me. I kept her gaze locked, completely intensely as she pumped in and out of me, adding another finger and occasionally rubbing her thumb over my clit. Those same appreciative noises as before were escaping her mouth as she worked my body, driving the amazing feeling of her inside me to a level I had never experienced before. I looked down Emily's body, watched as her slender fingers shook me, unable to contain my pleasure.

"mmm…Emily!" I moaned. I continued letting out whimpers and breathy moans as she did what she did best. As if things couldn't get any better, she started kissing my neck, working her way down my body again until her mouth reached my folds. She latched onto my clit and I let out a strangled cry at the sensation. Emily was perfect, she knew, somehow she knew every single thing that I needed. Even with our faces so far apart, she continued to look into my eyes as she sucked, flicked and fingered me.

"Fuck!" I could feel my orgasm ensuing, contracting against Emily's fingers as I let out loud moans of Emily's name along with a 'fucks' and 'holy shits'. Emily pulled her mouth away, still keeping her fingers inside, letting me ride out the waves of my orgasm. She kissed around my thighs again, waiting until my breathing and moaning had evened out before pulling her fingers out, licking each of them slowly, closing her eyes, making it appear as though she was savouring the flavor of me.

Even after she made me experience the greatest feeling of my life she still had the power to make me come completely undone by doing little things like that. She crawled back up my body, both of us obviously needing a little bit of rest before I returned the favor. She cuddled into me, "Did you like that?" she whispered knowingly.

What a girl. "what do you think?" I asked, still out of breath. "Seriously Em? When did you learn to do all of that? It was _amazing!_" That didn't even begin to describe it but I was still to wound up to get into detail with her.

Emily laughed a little, snuggling further into my chest, my hand rested on her back, running the length of her smooth, tan skin down her spin and back up again. "I just wanted to really show you how much you mean to me. I love seeing you come undone underneath me" I blushed at her words. Who knew Emily was so… naughty?

I nuzzled my face into her hair. "Well you certainly know how to do that" I mumbled. I let my hand trail a little lower this time, going over the fabric of her panties to caress Emily's perfect ass. She arched a little bit into my touch and I could practically smell her arousal at the moment. Without warning, I flipped us over so she was on her back, forcing a gasp from her lips at the quick movement. "Now" I mumbled, placing a playful kiss to her forehead. "It's your turn" Emily moaned loudly and arched her body toward me. I was propped up on my elbows leaning my entire body over her. I balanced myself on one hand, pushing her arched body back down on the bed before capturing her lips in a rough, passionate kiss. Her tongue met mine, dancing together before I pulled away and moved to her neck. My hands were running the length of her body, resting on her perfectly shaped waist while my lips worked their way up and down her collar bone.

"Paige, Oh m—" her words were cut off with a whimper as I ran my hand over her covered mound. I palmed her center momentarily, feeling her arousal through the cotton fabric as Emily writhed and wiggled underneath me. I decided I would leave the panties on for now, so I could have a little fun teasing her. I kissed down her body, playing with her perfect, perky nipples momentarily before kissing her abs and hips, creating more tension in Emily. Every time she tried to arch her body for more contact I would simply push her back down and apparently it was driving her wild. She would let out a frustrated moan every time and I would laugh.

"Patience baby." I purred seductively. "You know you're going to get what you want. Just let me have my fun" I sucked roughly on her hip, probably leaving a large bruise there but that didn't bother me. It was quite obvious it wasn't going to bother Emily either from the cries and pleas she was making. I kissed her inner thighs next, taking my sweet time and enjoying the taste of her skin. I spread her tan, muscular legs further apart as I settled my face between them. Emily was so lost in the moment, she let out a surprised groan when I ran my tongue slowly up her fabric covered mound, tasting her arousal through the fabric.

"OH MY GOD!" Emily yelled. She arched her back and this time I let her, grabbing her ass and pulling her closer to me. I continued licking up and down the fabric, hoping the friction was giving her a good sensation and from the near screams Emily was letting out it was safe to assume she was.

I slowed things down a little now, taking Emily's panties between my teeth and pulling them down. Letting my hot breath linger by her now exposed body before pulling them down the rest of the way and throwing them across the room. I looked up at Emily, willing her to open her eyes. She caught my star, looking at me intensely for a moment before nodding. It was my silent way of asking permission that I knew I didn't need. I placed a real, soft kiss on her lower region before sticking my tongue out and taking my first real taste of Emily. I ran my tongue along her full, swollen lips, savouring her amazing taste.

"Paaaige!" I felt a pit in my stomach at her calling out my name, instantly aroused again. I continued my exploration of Emily, figuring out what she liked. I noticed she really squirmed everytime my tongue neared her entrance so I curiously took a chance and pushed my tongue in. Emily cried out my name, pushing herself further against me, showing me that was exactly what she wanted. I was happy to comply with her needs, so I thrust my tongue in and out of her, driving her wild. I could feel her getting close so I laced my hand with hers, while my other began playing with her clit. Emily writhed and moaned loudly, I was seriously thankful we hadn't tried this while her mom was home. I felt her contracting against my tongue as her arousal flowed out of her entrance and into my mouth. She squeezed my hand impossibly tightly as she rode out her orgasm, completely gone in the throes of her pleasure. When she calmed down a little, I made my way back up her body and caught her lips in a soft, loving kiss.

"I love you" We both spoke at the same time and smiled widely as we realised how much our minds were in sync tonight. I got out of the bed momentarily, throwing Emily a pair of Pajamas and finding myself a pair in case her mom came home and checked on us. Emily groaned but got dressed and I did the same before crawling back into bed with her and letting her curl up to my side.

"Our other times were amazing Paige but this…" Emily sighed happily. "I didn't think I was capable of this."

I laughed in agreement. "I feel the same way." I agreed.

We were both more than exhausted after our make-up sex, and I let my body slump down in Emily's bed. I closed my eyes, letting the exhaustion pull me into sleep, ready to face anything knowing everything in our past was now behind us.


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N- First of all, sorry its been a while since I've updated. I could make up some excuse about how busy I am but the truth is I just needed a break from writing. This chapter is not complete yet, but I felt bad about not updating lately so I'm going to do it in two parts. Thank you all so much for being patient with my writing. I know the last few chapters haven't been the best and that's my own fault for losing patience with my own writing. **

**Thanks to everyone for reading and reviewing. Big huge thanks and hugs to those of you who PM me and you can all probably thank EndWorldPeas for this update. Even though she doesn't deserve it! This chapter and the next is more of just a little side story for you guys before I get back into the real stuff again. **

"You can't open this until you get to Germany!" Hanna berated us, handing Paige and I a gift box. "Seriously, put it in your luggage now and leave it there." Hanna looked at us sternly and I wanted to laugh at how ridiculous she could be.

"Hanna I thought we agreed on no gifts this year!" I mumbled, feeling guilty for not getting her anything.

Hanna huffed and rolled her eyes. "No. We said no gifts between us four. This is for Paigey. Jeeze, Em, it's the holidays and you're only thinking of yourself?"

I glared at Hanna and she just laughed. "I'm kidding. Ah!" Hanna threw her arms around me and Paige, engulfing us in a tight hug. "I'm so jealous you two get to spend the holidays in Germany! So romantic. Well, aside from the fact that your parents are going to be there Em but I'm sure you two can be really sneaky. Just don't get arrested or something. I don't want to hear on the news how my two best friends ended up in jail in Germany for public indecency or something."

"Hanna!" Paige and I yelled.

"I'm just saying!" Hanna defended. She released us from her hug and I went back to Paige's side, wrapping my arm around Paige's waist. We were leaving for Philadelphia International in about an hour to catch our flight to Frankfurt.

"Hey Em!" Hanna continued. "Has anyone ever told you you're really clingy?" Hanna asked.

_Why Hanna why? _"Has anyone ever told you that you talk too much?" I retorted. She was making it her personal mission to annoy the crap out of me before we left.

Hanna shrugged. "Yeah. Seriously though Emily, you are like, all over Paige all the time. Not that she cares, but you smother the girl so much I wonder if she's gonna suffocate one of these days." I glared at Hanna as Paige burst out laughing.

"You sure you're not just jealous, Hanna?" Paige asked. "You can snuggle with me too, all you have to do is ask" Paige offered.

I tightened my grip on Paige. Ok, so it was a little bit true that since we'd gotten back together I had been a little bit clingy with Paige. But like Hanna said, Paige didn't seem to mind and it wasn't exactly my fault that Paige was so comfortable.

Hanna shrugged. "I would, but I'm afraid Emily might rip my head off. She was never good at sharing"

"Goodbye Hanna!" I spoke through my teeth. Paige started to laugh but she quickly covered it up with a cough when I glared at her.

I was in a little bit of a mood today, I always stressed too much when it came to travelling. Did I have everything? Where's my passport? Is security to search through my luggage in front of everybody, throwing my underwear around for everyone to see? Until I was sitting on the plane, I was going to be a wreck, I felt a little bit bad for Paige.

Hanna winked, not so subtly at Paige before saying her final goodbyes and leaving the house. Paige turned to me and smiled. "So do you wanna just open it now?" Paige asked excitedly. Paige was like a kid when it came to gifts and holidays and I found it absolutely adorable. She was your classic kid on Christmas morning, only cuter in my opinion.

"As much as I don't wanna listen to Hanna, I think we should wait. I trust that she didn't put anything illegal in there. Nice try though Paige. You clearly don't know how to wait until Christmas before peaking do you?" I teased

Paige pouted and shook her head. Then her eyes brightened and she looked at me with a huge grin. "Hey Em guess what?"

"What?" I played along.

Paige pulled me into a tight bear hug. "We're going to Germany today"

Finally, after a few hours of busy airport stress, we had boarded the plane and were waiting for takeoff. With Paige's last minute ticket, my mom opted to let us sit together while she sat in a random seat a few rows ahead of us. Paige had tried to insist that it was her who should sit alone but my mom of course wouldn't have any of that. She usually slept on airplanes anyways.

I took a breath of relief now that we were on the airplane and ready for takeoff. I was a bit of a mess going through security and getting our bags checked in the busy rush of the holidays but I didn't have to worry anymore, we were all on the plane and ready to go. The excitement finally hit me again and I turned to grin at Paige. She was staring down at the emergency procedures poster in the seat pouch with wide eyes.

"Paige?" I asked expectantly.

Her head shot up and she smiled quickly. "Yeah?" I thought I detected a hint of nerves in her voice but I passed it off as me over analysing everything as usual.

"Are you as excited as I am?" I asked.

Paige's face fell for a moment before she snapped her head back towards me and smiled. "Of… of course I am."

_Uh oh. _What was going on with her? Ten minutes ago she was completely enthralled, chattering excitedly with my mom about the trip and now she looked pretty upset. Was she having sudden doubts about this? Maybe I shouldn't have pushed the idea of this trip on her. I should have asked if she really wanted to go before my mom got her a ticket. I reached out and placed my hand on top of hers.

"I'm just a little nervous I guess" Paige explained.

_Oh_. That made more sense. She was nervous about meeting my dad for the first time. I had been over this a few time with her, that her nerves were pointless because my dad already loved her. From the way my mom and I spoke of Paige my dad couldn't wait to meet her and I didn't have a doubt in my mind that they would hit it off.

"Paige you don't have to worry about meeting my dad. I told you that." I assured her.

"Right" Paige mumbled. I looked at her more closely and she looked even more pale than usual. She was chewing her lip nervously and craning her head around while her eyes stared blankly.

"You feeling alright sweetie?" I asked. She looked like she was about to puke. I put a hand on her forearm and she flinched. She must be sick.

Her eyes tightened but she smiled at me. "Great" she answered. I wasn't buying it. Oh well, she would see soon enough that her fear of meeting my dad was pointless.

Just then, the plane engines fired up. Paige lunged up straight, gripping my hand as tight as I'd ever felt. She stared forward and closed her eyes, breathing deeply.

_Hello this is your captain speaking. Weather conditions are looking very well today, and it looks like it's going to be a smooth flight to Frankfurt. As we begin taxi-ing down the runway, please watch the instructional video on the screen in front of you. If there's anything you need, don't hesitate to ask a flight attendant._

Paige was breathing slowly, and I could see her lips trembling slightly while she still had her death grip on my hand. It all clicked into place, Paige was a nervous flyer. As the plane began moving Paige gripped my hand even tighter. Ok, nervous might be a bit of an understatement.

"Paige?" I asked softly. I rubbed my thumb soothingly over her knuckles and her grip loosened slightly. "Are you a bit nervous about the flight?"

Paige nodded. "I don't like flying. It freaks me out. I don't understand it how can this metal death trap with a couple of engines strapped to it make it 30 000 feet up in the air safely? Oh right, it _can't_." Paige rambled. Part of me felt really bad for Paige because she wasn't scared of much, but a big part of me found this side of her absolutely adorable. Nervous Paige was cute.

I laughed softly and Paige frowned at me. With my unsqueezed hand, I rubbed my fingers along her forearm, trying to calm her a little. "aww Paige why didn't you say something before? I could have brought you something to help you sleep."

"Didn't want you to think I was a wussy" Paige mumbled quickly.

"Paige I don't think you're a—"

"Shh!" she interrupted. The little video screen about emergency procedures came up and Paige devoted her complete attention to it. Ok, now the whole thing was getting a little funny.

"Paige, don't watch that, you're just going to make it worse for yourself" I warned.

Paige held her hand up to my face while she focused on the video. I sighed, realising explaining it logically to Paige probably wouldn't help. I kept my mouth shut for the duration of the video that explained what to do 'should there be an emergency' and other miscellaneous information about the plane I had heard a million times.

_Flight attendants please take your seats. _

Paige looked at me in complete terror. "I can do this" She whispered.

"Come here, you" I pulled her closer to me and let her lean her head on my shoulder. "You know that the chances of anything happening are much less than the risk we took just driving to the airport?"

Paige shook her head, disagreeing with me. I stroked her hair as the plane began picking up speed. "Just relax Paige. Deep breaths, you're going to be just fine" I whispered.

"Can you tell me a story?" Paige asked. She looked up at me with her wide brown eyes and I wanted to crumble.

"What kind of story?" I asked.

"anything!" Paige begged desperately.

I thought quickly, trying to think of anything. "I wasn't a super cute kid like you were Paige! I didn't fish for chipmunks and have a pet Hedgehog." I thought harder, trying to think of anything that I could ramble about that would calm Paige down. "Actually! Have I ever told you about the time that I took our class hamster home in first grade?"

The plane began its ascent and Paige clutched my hand tightly. She shook her head feverently, her eyes squeezed shut. "go on" She gritted out.

"Well we had this hamster, his name was Chester and everyone in the class had an opportunity to volunteer to take him home over the weekend and take care of him. I was so excited about it that I volunteered. Mrs. Wilkinson gave me the lecture about taking care of Chester and the importance of responsibility yada yada. I was in first grade, I just cared about taking the little guy home and playing with him. Thing was, my mom _hates_ rodents. I mean, she despises them. So I knew I had to be super sneaky. I snuck Chester home with me in my sweater pocket when my mom showed up to pick me up from school"

"You're kidding me!?" Paige asked, snickering at me. "Wow, I thought you were little miss goody two shoes!"

"Hey!" I protested. "I'm not even done my story yet" The plane was beginning to level out and I felt Paige release my hand a little as the flight attendants began doing their rounds. "So anyway we got home and it was a normal night. Until the next morning when my dad found poor Chester in the dryer." I said sadly.

Paige gasped before breaking out in a fit of laugher. "Oh my god! Emily. You actually?"

"I was in first grade! I forgot about him and threw my sweater in the laundry room when I got home!" I defended weakly. Paige continued laughing. "Don't laugh. It was an emotional time in my life. I pretended to be sick for a week after that, afraid to face my classmates. And when I did get back to school Jimmy Knickles told me that killer's burn in hell, I was petrified." Paige looked at me, still giggling away, looking completely at ease again. Her grip on my hand had turned into a simple grasp and I continued rubbing my thumb along her soft skin.

"That is classic, Em. Seriously, I can't believe that happened to you of all people! That sounds like something Hanna would do" Paige joked.

I laughed with her. "No she ended up losing Cleo the turtle in second grade." Paige laughed even more. "But the death of Chester is actually how me and Spencer became friends. She defended me when Jimmy and the rest of the class said I was a killer." I explained, smiling at the memory of a little Spencer telling off Jimmy in some intellectual way that was way too complex for any normal first grader to even comprehend.

"Oh of course she did" Paige laughed. "I'm glad you've always had Spencer to defend you" Paige said earnestly. "Even if it was totally and completely your fault that the poor hamster died!" Paige deadpanned.

"Hey! I didn't tell you that story so you could make fun of me!" I whined. I looked at Paige and raised my hand to touch her cheek. "Better?" I asked softly.

Paige tensed a little bit. "Thanks, Em. This whole flying thing doesn't go well with me. I thought maybe I could handle it this time but I just panicked a bit." The plane banked slightly and Paige sucked in a breath and looked at me again.

I rolled my eyes at her playfully. "Come on Paige! The worst part is over. Now we have hours and hours of a smooth ride."

"Yeah over the big blue ocean that offers no place to safely land if this thing has problems" Paige muttered.

"Oh come on! I have no doubts you would survive if this thing ditches on a deserted island." I teased.

Paige groaned and put her head in her hands. "Please don't talk about the possibility of this thing going down! It's not helping!"

I laughed softly "Awweh poor baby" I cooed. "Come on Paige, you get three things to bring to a deserted island aside from necessities like food and water or anything to do with survival. Oh and people, you can't have people. What would you bring?" I asked.

Paige looked deep in thought for a moment. "A high frequency radio with a solar battery of course. A journal and a good supply of pencils. And if I can't have people, I guess a picture of you would have to do" Paige looked at me sweetly and I wanted to melt. Only my Paige could turn what was supposed to be a joke into something so heartfelt.

"Obviously I would be on this island with you, Paige." I answered back. "You're not going anywhere without me. Pick something else."

Paige thought again for a moment. "A really high powered telescope." I looked at her in question and she shrugged. "So I could look at the stars at night."

"Anyone ever tell you you're perfect?" I asked.

Paige grinned. "Only for you, Em. Now, what would you want if this plane supposedly crashes onto an island?" Paige asked.

"Assuming of course that you're there with me?" Paige nodded. "A lifetime supply of razors." Paige laughed and rolled her eyes. "Books, lots and lots of books." Paige nodded thoughtfully. "And peanut butter" I added.

Paige looked at me skeptically. "Peanut butter?"

"I don't think I could live without peanut butter." I explained.

Paige smirked at me. "Out of everything on the planet you could possibly bring to an island and you decide on razors and peanut putter?" Paige skeptisized.

I smiled at her and nodded. "Well as long as I have you, what else could I need?" Paige made a gagging noise at my cheesy comment.

"You mean besides peanut butter?" She joked.

"Exactly!" I agreed.

Paige shook her head at me. "Ok fine. How about albums? You get to bring one record to your deserted island, what would it be?"

We continued playing this game for almost an hour before we gave up. It actually kept us quite entertained with our bickering and Paige seemed to be nearly calmed down. Although, anytime we hit a little bump of turbulence she would grip my hand and look at me warily. Finally, our little game came to an end and I decided to test the waters and ask Paige how she was.

"You feel a little better?" I asked.

Paige nodded. "A little. Sorry for freaking out on you before Em. I wasn't in my head." Paige explained. She seemed pretty embarrassed about the whole thing.

I chuckled at how adorable she was. "It's alright Paige. I just wish you would have told me you didn't like flying beforehand."

She sighed and looked down. "I don't like flying. I know that the chance of me dying crossing the street is higher than dying in this stupid thing but I just feel so disoriented when I'm up in the sky like this." Paige looked at me and smiled. "Thanks for distracting me, babe." My heart fluttered a little bit. "You're the best" She leaned over and kissed my cheek and I wished we didn't have a stranger sitting at the window seat so I could capture her lips and deepen the kiss.

I brushed the hair away from Paige's eyes, "Anytime. You know, you're kind of adorable when you're all nervous and whiny" I teased. "Well, you're kind of adorable all of the time" I relented.

Paige huffed and crossed her arms. As if right on time, we hit a little air pocket (I'm talking tiny bump that I was only aware of because I was trying to look out for Paige) and Paige lugged in her seat and linked her arm with mine. She gave me a sheepish smile and I pulled her closer so she could lean her head on my shoulder. This was going to be a long flight for her, but I didn't mind giving her attention.

After the interesting experience of landing with Paige, we finally arrived in Frankfurt. As soon as we landed Paige returned to her normal self. It was almost comical how she switched so quickly. I did feel a little bad for her, but she was so darn cute as she braced for impact the entire descent. No matter how many times I convinced her we still had several thousand feet before we were anywhere near land she just shushed me and kept her hands on the seat in front of her.

Now, she was completely normal, aside from one quick apology for being so childish. I appreciated that. It had taken almost 3 hours to get out of the busy, jam packed, holiday crazy airport in Germany. But alas, we were at the final stretch where we were set to meet my dad. I linked my arm with Paige's so as not to lose her in the craze of people. It would be so Paige to get lost in the biggest airport in the world on one of the busiest days. As soon as we got to a quiet spot my mom pulled out her cell phone to call my dad. Finding him like this would be an impossibility.

Paige pulled me close for a second, and looked at me seriously. "I don't want you to worry about introducing me to your dad here ok? Please just give him time to see _you_ again alright? It's not going to offend me and I'm not going to feel awkward." Paige smiled. "You and him come first alright?"

I smiled lovingly at her and nodded. She was so wonderful. Paige always knew what to say and how to say it to me. Her way of reminding me why we were here and that she was perfectly ok with it. "Thanks. I love you" I replied.

Paige grinned at me, "Yeah you're not so bad yourself".

"He's on his way here" Pam informed us. Paige smirked at us as we both craned our necks, searching the packed bodies of people for my father. I saw him wave and I felt the sweet relief of seeing him in the flesh, knowing for real in this moment that he was alive and well. It was a luxury actually being able to see him smile at my mom and I, something I hadn't witnessed in far too long.

Both my mom and I started to go but quickly stopped when we realized we wouldn't make it there through the crowd dragging all of our luggage. As if Paige could read our minds and pulled the luggage out of my mine and my mother's hands.

"Go" She encouraged, smiling at us. "I've got the bags, go!" I didn't need to be told twice, I started my way over to my father, looking back and smiling at Paige pushing my reluctant mother towards the busy crowd of people. I saw her mouth a 'thank you' to Paige before she began hastily making her way to my dad along with me.

"Emmy" My dad smiled and spoke my nick name happily, almost as if he was as relieved as I was, finally seeing each other. He opened his arms and I crashed into them, pressing my face into his chest, feeling like I was a kid again. My dad was my hero, someone above that of the average human being. "Good to see you again, Kiddo" My dad cheered. I looked up at his smiling face and grinned right back.

"I miss you so much" I sputtered out, a few tears escaping my eyes.

"Oh, Emmy I missed you to." He held me at arm's length, looking me up and down. "Wow, you've grown up so much" He commented. "You're beautiful, Em. Just like your mother"

I blushed and followed his gaze to my mom who was smiling widely closely behind me. I moved out of the way slightly so my mom could greet my dad. I decided my mom needed a moment so I glanced back across the lobby to Paige, who was looking at me smiling, her mouth slightly open. She was truly happy for me.

After a few minutes of being blissfully happy that the three of us were reunited again, I remembered we were in a crowded airport that was beginning to feel rather stuffy.

I felt my dad grab my arm and pull me closer, before wrapping his arm around my waist. "I've missed my girls" He said. "Let's get back to the hotel and get some rest though alright? It's early and it looks like you two could use some real rest" My dad was right. I looked at the clock and was momentarily disoriented to see that it was 5 in the morning. I was pretty exhausted but I would have rather stayed up and spent time with him. I took his hand and lead him towards a patiently waiting Paige that I couldn't wait to introduce to my father.

"Please don't be embarrassing, dad" I whined as we approached.

"That's her?" He whispered back as we approached my smiling, stunning girlfriend. I nodded eagerly.

"Wow, you two must turn some heads" My dad joked. My mom scoffed and playfully hit him.

"Dad!" I groaned. But I was nothing but happy to hear my dad's typical teasing.

Paige waved as we approached, never taking her eyes away from me and my dad. I pulled my dad closer to her, ready to introduce them finally.

"Dad, this is my girlfriend, Paige" I announced proudly.

Paige stuck her hand out, shaking my fathers and smiling. "Paige McCullers." She greeted. "It's really nice to finally meet you." Paige was so charming sometimes, it left me staring at her open mouthed.

"Wayne" My dad replied. "And likewise. Emmy here hasn't shut up about you since September." I flushed red at my dad's more than accurate words. "I can see why" he continued, much to my embarrassment.

"Don't pay him any attention Paige, he likes to embarrass Emily every chance he gets" My mom chided.

My dad just laughed. How I missed his deep chuckle. "Should I start about the things you say about Paige, honey?" My dad asked. "I do remember you saying something about Paige being the 'right' girl for our Emmy, that you could see how happy Emmy was when she was with Paige, how happy you were that Paige was becoming practically a part of the family… shall I go on?" My dad teased.

"No!" my mom and I both answered.

I gave Paige an apologetic look but she just looked pleasantly amused. Paige smiled and looked at me briefly. "Part of the family huh?" Paige asked, laughing a little bit.

"Welcome to the dysfunctional Fields family Paige" my dad joked while clapping her on the back.

We got checked in and settled into our hotel in Frankfurt, where we were staying for the holidays. Paige and I got an entire hotel room to ourselves while my parents occupied the one next to us. What had really surprised me was the fact that my parents had willingly ordered a room with one bed for us. I had never experienced this level of trust and respect from my parents.

As much as I wanted to stay up and spend time with my dad I was positively exhausted from the long travel day. I was able to give him a hug and a kiss goodnight knowing that he was in the room next to me, and I had an entire two weeks to spend with him. Paige and I retired to our room and I crashed on my bed with a huge smile on my face.

"Paige I don't think I've ever felt so at ease in my entire life!" I announced.

Paige smiled and flopped on the bed beside me. "I know the feeling." Paige agreed. "Em, you have such a beautiful family."

I looked at the longing in Paige's eyes. "Paige, my parents weren't joking, you're part of it to now. You know you're a permanent part of my life right?"

Paige grinned, lightening the suddenly intense mood. "You really mean that?" She asked excitedly. She leaned in and gave me a kiss on the cheek. I tried to capture her lips again but she jumped up from the bed and rummaged through her luggage.

"Paige what are y—No. No way Paige!" she had pulled the little red box that Hanna had given her out and was now bouncing cheerily back over to the bed.

"Come on! She said when we were in Germany" Paige whined. "Guess where we are, Em?"

"Ugh! I just wanna go to bed!" I groaned in defeat.

Paige sat up on the bed, clearly knowing she had won. "Go on, open it!" I encouraged. Paige wasted no time ripping the paper from the box and tearing the cardboard apart to get to her gift. How adorable was she? She threw the tissue paper aside and I let out a gasp at what was inside. On a piece of paper in elegant writing were the words '_for Emily to wear but for Paige to enjoy_'. Hanna was dead.

Paige's face dropped as she pulled out the delicate material from the box. Hanna really hadn't held back. It was a chemise style set, black and a sheer, see through material everywhere but the bra. Under the bra was cut out in a little triangle of what would be exposed skin with a little pink bow above to top it all off.

I looked at Paige who was staring at the material open mouthed obviously lost in thought. Then, a small smile began to form on her lips. "I love Hanna"

"Paige, there is no way in hell I'm wearing this ever! I'll look ridiculous!" I couldn't believe Paige was actually going for this.

Paige scoffed. "Yeah ridiculously fucking sexy! Come on, Em! We're in Germany. Isn't Germany like, the sexiest country in the world?"

I shook my head. "Paige we're here with my _parents_!"

Paige's face dropped in defeat. "I guess you're right" Paige put on a pouty face and I wanted to smack her. I knew all too well what she was trying to do. "I just already have this picture of you in my mind wearing it." Paige began tracing circles around the thin material. "Of me…. taking it off of you" Paige continued. She looked up at me from underneath her lashes and I swatted her in the arm.

"Ouch!" Paige complained. "What was that for?"

I groaned. Now the exact same picture Paige was talking about was in my mind. I could all too well picture the look on Paige's face when she was me in that get up. The feel of her hands on my body, ready to tear the thin lingerie off of me. _Damn it._ I was totally into this just as much as Paige was. As if Paige could see the wheels turning in my head she broke out in a huge victory grin.

"Not tonight!" I settled. "I'm too tired." And was completely not ready to even begin to try that thing on.

Paige let out a yawn in agreement. She put the lingerie back in the box and stuffed it in the bottom of her bag.

"You're going to look so amazing Emily" Paige whispered as we tucked ourselves in. "I mean, you always do but…" Paige trailed off and pressed a lingering kiss to my mouth.

"When the time is right" I answered. Paige nodded in agreement.

"Love you, Em. Get some rest, it's going to be a big two weeks and I want you to be in a good mood tomorrow for your dad" Paige wrapped her arms around me and closed her eyes, nuzzling her face in my hair, allowing me to feel her warm breath that still managed to send tingles through my body.

Sleeping next to Paige in Germany, where I was seeing my father for the first time in what seemed like forever, how could I not be in a good mood tomorrow?


	23. Chapter 23

**Sorry this took longer than expected to get out there. It's a very jumpy chapter but I hope you all like it! **

**Thanks you all for reading and let me know what you think. **

**Paige's POV- **

After being in Germany for a week I felt like I was finally getting adjusted to the time and the vacation life. I had never really been on a real vacation before and getting used to just being somewhere different took a bit of adjusting. My family 'vacations' always turned into something out of a sitcom. My mom would get all worked up, my dad would always have something to yell about and I would simply try and stay out of the middle, even though I was usually the target of my dad's anger. Then it would end with my dad getting a business call and we'd have to catch the next available flight. We didn't do vacations anymore.

The Fields' vacation experience was much different. I don't think I had seen a real frown or look of stress yet. The bickering was always light and usually between me and Emily anyways and Emily's father was so laid back with me. It made it so easy to be happy with them, just like a real family should be. Although I was mostly happy for Emily, a small part of me was jealous. I couldn't help but wish just once my family could experience something like this. Something so normal. At least I could breathe easy knowing I was welcome with the Fields, especially with Wayne.

From what I could tell, he didn't have any sort of problem with me, in fact, he teased me as much as Emily did, while doing so I could see that familiar smirk Emily would give me when she cracked a 'funny' joke at me. It was really something else to be so accepted by him, and for him and I to be so comfortable around each other already. As if I needed more proof that Emily was my girl.

Today was father-daughter day between Emily and Wayne. They were going into the town to do some last minute shopping and sightseeing while Pam and I hung out at the hotel and I helped her wrap her last minute presents to Emily and Wayne. It was really a nice way to spend the day. I had long gotten over the nerves and minor awkwardness of being left alone with Pam. I felt nearly as comfortable as I felt being around Emily when it came to Pam, and I had the feeling that Pam felt the same way.

"You know, I don't think I've ever been this at ease before in my life" I commented as I held the wrapping paper in place while Pam taped it up.

She grinned and gave me a high pitched laugh. "Well you know what they say about the holidays" Pam commented.

I shook my head. "I don't think it's just that." Pam stopped and looked at me in question. "You have such an amazing family. Each one of you is truly blessed to have the other"

Pam's breathing hitched and she looked away for a moment. When her gaze met mine again, I saw a glint of a tear welling up in her eye. I hadn't meant for my comment to be that intense, it was merely a voiced observation.

"You're absolutely right" Pam agreed, wiping her eye and flushing red. "We've always been supportive that way I suppose. I mean, I had a momentary lapse in judgement when Emily came out but I think experiencing that, and learning how brave my daughter is for being who she is, it really brought us close."

I tilted my head in confusion and Pam continued. "I had to learn that what Emily did was something that not everyone can do. To admit to the people you love that you're not the person they thought you were, it must have been life changing for her. It's an adjustment as a mother, but I wouldn't have Emily any other way. She's the best daughter I could ever ask for, I'm truly proud of her."

"She really is something else" I agreed.

Pam smiled her crinkle eyed smile at me. "What I meant before was, Emily coming out was more than just her telling us she was gay, it was her coming out as who she _is_. We're so much closer now than before. She used to hide all sorts of things from us, and now, we're the honest family that you see." Pam explained. From her explanation I could tell she was truly amazed by the progress her family had made in the past few years. I couldn't imagine the Fields family not getting along perfectly but to my surprise apparently they did struggle, not completely unlike my family. Except the Fields have pulled through while the McCullers were stuck in the mud.

"You wouldn't ask for anything better" It wasn't a question, it was an agreement. Because I wouldn't ask for any better parents for Emily.

"You would be absolutely right." Pam agreed "Plus, it makes it easy to accept Emily when she has someone like you. I don't think I could find anyone better."

I blushed and smiled to myself. Nothing felt greater than having the undeniable acceptance from the Fields. Hearing it from Pam was just the icing on the cake. "Wayne…?" I asked.

Pam rolled her eyes. "Thinks you're the greatest thing since sliced bread. Really, Paige, we all love you like you're one of our own. You _are_ one of our own" She gave me an intense look, trying to make sure I understood.

Now it was my turn to get teary eyed. How did we go from wrapping gifts in a German hotel to crying about how much we loved each other? As if on cue, Emily and Wayne walked in, giggling as Wayne gave Emily a playful nudge. Emily's smile quickly fell as she was the steady stream of tears from my eyes. _oops_.

"Paige?" She asked in concern, approaching me quickly and looking at me with an intense look that resembled her mothers. She shot a stern look at her mother before grazing my arms with her fingertips and looking back to me.

"Happy tears, Em" I explained.

She arched her brow but I shrugged it off, pulling her into my arms as she gave me a quick kiss on the cheek. "Mom!" she groaned. "Stop making my girlfriend so emotional!" She teasingly accused.

Pam gasped in mock shock. "Hey! Paige started it! She sai—"

"Hey now that stays between us!" I interrupted. I really didn't care if Emily heard my more than true words but I jumped at any opportunity to drive her nuts.

I got the reaction I was hoping for, Emily shoved me backwards onto her parents bed and walked the other way. "Rude!" she called as she went to stand by Pam.

I stuck my tongue out at her and she stuck hers out back. Sometimes we acted so childish it was borderline a problem for us.

"Are we going to have to separate you two?" Wayne joked. "You know most parents have to separate them from their daughters girlfriends for very different reasons…"

"Wayne!" Pam and I yelled and Emily yelled out "DAD!" He laughed and shrugged.

"Alright! Emily, Paige, You're out of here, we need to wrap your presents." Pam announced, shuffling us to the door. "You can go for a walk if you'd like, the market isn't far from here, but take your cell phone and for god sakes do not get lost in Germany. Explaining that to customs might raise some questions" Pam joked.

Hand in hand, we casually walked out the lobby into the busting European culture. I was still slightly overwhelmed in my couple of days here how different it was to my typical surroundings. People everywhere, loud noises, crowded, narrow streets. Germany was beautiful over the holidays, everything was so festive and simply beautiful.

"Do you wanna walk to the market? My dad and I did when we were out, Paige it's the most beautiful thing ever" Emily eagerly began dragging me in the direction the town centre where the Frankfurt Christmas Market was in full swing. It was the last day of operation, so when we got there it was absolutely nuts.

It was just after dark and the lights were just turning on. Emily couldn't have been more right, the market was stunning. It was completely traditional, stands of different items, decorations, gifts and foods. Along with that there were live bands and carolers strung around the large town square, the giant Christmas tree and the merry-go-round. _Oh my god, the merry-go-round! _It was a two story spinning beauty with different pieces including horses and carriages to sit. I turned to Emily with a huge grin and probably wide, childish eyes and she giggled as I tugged her through the crowds and towards the line up to get on the thing.

"We're going to the top level!" I insisted as it was our turn to get on the ride. Emily rolled her eyes as I drug her up the stairs and pulled her into an open carriage seat. The ride started to go and I slung my arm around Emily as we looked out at the beautiful night life of Christmas in Germany. "Best. Holiday. Ever" I mumbled.

"You're such a goof!" Emily laughed, but I knew she was having just as good of a time as I was.

After a long, peaceful evening of wandering different vendors at the market, we slowly made our way back to the hotel. I couldn't ever describe in words how wonderful my evening with Emily had been. Walking around hand in hand with Emily never ceased to amaze me, and seeing her eyes light up every time she saw something she was interested in only made me want to buy up the entire place just for her. I had snuck back to a few vendors when Emily was using the washroom to pick up a few small trinkets for her, because the look on her face when she saw them would be so irresistible.

When we got back to the hotel we spent the rest of the night with Emily's parents watching Christmas movies in their room. The last thing I remember is closing my eyes, completely contest with the sound of Emily's laugh every time the Grinch did something comical.

Christmas day was nothing short of the best holiday I had ever experienced. Emily woke me up at 6:00am sharp. I felt a warm pair of lips press against my collar bone and the sudden weight of Emily's body on top of mine. "Merry Christmas", she whispered huskily in my ear. I opened my eyes to see her face inches away from mine and she had a sexy smirk on her face.

She angled her face and leaned in the kiss me, but before she got the chance I flipped us so she was on her back. She gasped at the sudden movement and I could see the hunger in her eyes. It was really unfortunate for her that I was in a mood that would no doubt drive her crazy.

"It's Christmas, Em. You know what that means?" I asked seductively. "Present tiiiime!" I sang before hopping off the bed leaving Emily laying there breathless. I put my slippers on and ran for the door.

"I'm. Going. To. Kill. You" Emily groaned. I turned back and she was still laying on the bed with a very unimpressed look on her face.

"The presents though, Em. The presents!" I said excitedly. I bounced back over to her and grabbed both of her hands, pulling her up and taking her into my arms, spinning us both around.

Emily looked at me sternly before breaking out into a big smile. "You're lucky you're adorable. Come on, let's go open some presents" I jumped up and down one more time, just to get a laugh out of Emily before dragging her towards the door and to her parents room.

The whole morning was spent opening presents and going through our stockings. Like everything else in the Fields family, it was perfect. I didn't know how I was going to thank them for the little presents they got me along with the plane ticket but I would make it my life mission to find something to make it up to them. I had gotten Wayne and Pam both a few small gifts, which they were very surprised and thankful for but I really had to work on finding something to compare to the life they were giving me. I made a mental note to work on that as soon as we got back home.

While Wayne and Pam went out to get breakfast for the 4 of us, I snuck back to the room to get Emily's gift. I wanted to save it for last, and for a moment when we were alone so I could really get her reaction. It was so hard finding the perfect gift to show Emily how much she meant to me and how much I wanted to thank her for this holiday but as soon as I saw this in the shop in Philly I knew I had it right.

I came back to the room and silently gave Emily the small, heart shaped wooden box.

She gave me a confused look, "What is this?"

I rolled my eyes. "It's for you" She was about to protest so I put my hand over her mouth. "Just open it." I was beginning to get nervous now. What if it was to cheesy, what if she didn't like it? Maybe she should have come with me to pick it out. "Wait!" I said before she took the lid off. "It's super cheesy, but you're kind of cheesy too so I thought it would fit." I explained. "If you don't like it, please just say so, I won't be upset I promise"

Emily smiled and put her hand on my cheek. "Paige, anything you've put any thought into I will automatically love. You know that. I just didn't want you to spend any money on me, those little gifts at the market were already too much"

I tapped the wooden box that her gift was settled in, "You're worth every penny" I said simply.

Emily carefully lifted the lid off of the wooden jewelry box and pulled out its contents. Attached to a white gold chain was the heart pendent that had caught my eye at the small boutique in Philly. The outer heart was white gold with an elegant design and a few small diamonds placed around the outside. The inside of the heart was gold and had the appearance of being swirled with the white gold outer part, each part grasping and winding together. If you looked at it close enough, you could actually see that it was two hearts bound together as one. It stood out for me because while most heart jewelry has two hearts clearly attached, this one was much more subtle. The inside of the heart was cut out, making it appear elegant and not at all tacky and large.

Emily held it in her hands, studying it closely as she let out a little gasp. "Paige!" she whispered. I looked at eyes and saw little tears beginning to form. She didn't look at me, she continued staring at the pendant and tracing the heart with her thumb. She traced the white gold, and then the inner gold piece and I knew she understood.

"Turn it over" I whispered.

She slowly, carefully flipped it over in her hands and let out another loud gasp at what I had inscribed on the pendant. I was surprised that Emily, through her watering eyes could read the inscription.

Etched out in the matching elegant handwriting were the words, _I will never let you go_. Emily traced her finger along the words, smiling a little, hopefully remembering the first time she said that to me at my apartment.

"I hope those are good tears" I broke the silence with a low whisper, afraid of upsetting the moment.

"Paige" Emily spoke my name again. Finally, she looked up at me with a happy smile, almost in shock it seemed. "Of course these are good tears. I've never seen anything more beautiful. Besides you, I mean. It's perfect. This must have cost an arm and a leg though!" she exclaimed, looking back down at the heart.

"I told you that's not important." I reminded her. I also reminded myself to keep that receipt hidden because if Emily ever found it I would be in big trouble. "You really like it though?" I asked nervously.

Emily looked at me before closing the distance between us and taking me into a bone crushing hug. "Paige I love it! I love you for being so thoughtful." She leaned in the give me a soft, lingering kiss on the lips. "Remind me to thank you properly for this later" she whispered. I shuddered involuntarily and Emily let out a soft laugh. I pulled back slightly so I could look her in the eyes. "Thank you" she whispered. "You always manage to do something so unexpected and romantic that makes me fall even harder for you. As if that's even possible"

I simply smiled in response and held out my hand for the necklace she was grasping. "Let me put it on you?" I asked.

Emily smiled and handed me the necklace. Ever so slowly I walked behind her and placed my one hand on her waist momentarily. I gently pulled her dark locks to one side of her neck, leaving her shoulder exposed for me to place a quick, irresistible kiss. Using both of my hands, I gently put the necklace around her, letting my hands linger on her chest before clasping the chain and caressing her neck and shoulder a little longer. Emily let out a little moan as I kissed the base of her neck on more time.

"I hope you know I'm never taking this off" Emily whispered. I laughed because I knew she meant it.

Emily's parents came back with takeout breakfast from a small café across the hotel. Emily wasted no time in running over to them to show them her new gift.

"Mom, dad look at what my _amazing_ girlfriend got me for Christmas!" Emily stuck the pendant out and looked at them both with a huge smile on her face. They both gasped and smiled in response to Emily's excitement.

"That is absolutely gorgeous Emily. Wow, Paige" Pam commented. She looked at Wayne mockingly. "Maybe you should start taking pointers from Paige, hun" she joked. I blushed as Wayne shot me a funny look.

"Way to make me look bad, Paigey!" He whined.

"Sorry Wayne, but it was just to perfect not to buy for Emily"

Wayne shot me another look. "Don't you dare pull the parent pleaser line on me Paige!" He said sternly although he had a huge grin on. "Seriously though Paige, the necklace is beautiful."

"Thanks" It hadn't passed me that Emily hadn't shown them the inscription. I smiled at that, knowing that was mine and Emily's thing, almost as if the words were too precious to be shared with anyone else.

The rest of our Christmas day was spend in the Hotel, watching movies, going through our gifts and eating desserts and foods that my dad would have a stroke over if he saw me eating. Christmas in my home never left me with the impression that the McCullers were a close family. It might have been a little upsetting that I was already finding myself closer to Emily's parents then I had ever been to my own but I could really only be happy these amazing people were letting me into their lives with open arms. I felt not resentment with the Fields, only the sweet feeling of being loved.

The last few days spent in Germany were spent doing the typical touristy stuff. Emily and Pam had each spend their respective time with Wayne each day, sometimes all of us together, sometimes alone but I could tell that when it came time to say goodbye tomorrow, it was going to be tough on the two of them. Hell, it was going to be tough on me. Wayne was just such a great father and husband to Emily and Pam that I could only imagine how hard it was for them to leave him. Only a family who truly loved each other could survive this amount of distance without the fighting and bickering that I had always imagined would come with a military family. Not the Fields of course. They had the whole functional family thing figured out.

During our last full day in Germany, Emily and Pam had decided they wanted to spend the morning shopping in some fancy fashion mall in Frankfurt so Wayne and I had both opted out of going in the shops with them and wandered around the shopping district together instead. We had spent most of the time joking with each other and talking about my plans for next year along with what Emily was going next year.

"Don't you two go breaking up or anything" Wayne said. "At the risk of sounding to intense, I've never seen Emily so happy before. Pam and I have never been so happy before. Paige you mean a lot to our family and I don't know what would happen if Emily lost you" In the couple weeks with Wayne I had never heard him so serious before. Almost as if he was worried.

"I would neve—"

"I know" Wayne smiled. "It's just, you two are so _right_ for each other I'm scared to think of what would happen if you were ever to break up"

"It's not going to happen" I said firmly.

"Good. Now, I'm not going to get all sappy on you but Paige can you please take care of my girls while I'm not home? They mean the world to me and I trust you to take care of them" I really had to fight not to tear up at his words. I loved the fact that he trusted me.

"I promise"

Our last evening in Germany was upon us. As much as I wanted to make the most of that, it was hard to not be mopey at the fact that tomorrow we'd be back to reality.

There was a quick knock at our door and Wayne came in, dressed in a nice suit. "Alright kids, we're heading out" Wayne announced. Pam and Wayne decided they would go for a romantic dinner cruise on the Rhine River for their last night together. "Behave!" He warned sternly before breaking into a smile and leaving our room.

"Don't have too much fun without us!" I joked.

I heard Wayne's deep laugh as he left our hotel room. I jumped on the bed beside Emily who was still nibbling on our takeout dinner and flipping through the TV channels, most of them German.

"So.." I began. Emily looked at me with and arched eyebrow. "What do you want to do this fine evening. It's our last night you know.." I hoped Emily would pick up on my suggestion.

Emily rolled her eyes. "Jeeze, horn dog, could you at least wait until my parents have made it out of the hotel?!" Emily accused. I knew she was trying to make me guilty but I wasn't going to let her have the upper hand.

"Em, it's our last night. You know what that means…" I spoke suggestively and let my fingers trail up Emily's bare leg. As soon as I reached her thigh, I slowly made my way back down to her calve and continued repeating the action.

"Seriously Paige?" Emily groaned. "Can we not just wait to use that stupid lingerie at home, its embarrassing and it probably won't even fit after all the food I've been eating these past weeks!" She complained.

I laughed. "Em, you're body is perfect, you haven't gained anything. Come on! I think you'd look really, _really_, sexy" I whispered seductively. "Irresistible" I moved to kiss her collar bone. "So beautiful" I whispered against her skin.

She shuddered and let out a little whimper and I knew this was going to be an easy win. I pulled away and looked her in the eyes with an innocent expression.

"Why can't you just wear the damn thing?" Emily groaned in defeat.

I laughed. Someone would have to pay me big bucks to get me in something as skimpy and revealing as that. Plus, I didn't have the sexy confidence that Emily did to pull it off. "Because… Hanna bought it for _you_ to wear, not me." I answered.

"I'm going to feel ridiculous" Emily whined.

Without another word, I flipped the TV off and threw the takeout boxes on the bedside table. I pushed Emily gently into a laying position on the bed and hovered over her, leaning down to capture her lips. We kissed slowly for a while, letting Emily get comfortable as she began deepening the kiss, I resisted doing anything while her hands roamed my body and her tongue ran along my bottom lip back and forth. "Damn it Paige!" she groaned against my lips. I smiled in victory as she roughly pushed me off of her.

"No laughing!" She pointed at me sternly before she sifted through my luggage pulling out the thin, skimpy material and running to the bathroom. I was practically bouncing in excitement for the next 10 minutes while she got herself situated.

"Em!" I called. "Is everything alright in there?" I asked. I was getting a little impatient.

Suddenly the door creaked open and Emily slowly emerged. My jaw dropped at the sight of her lean, sexy body in that black chemise. My eyes raked up and down her body, not sure where the best place to stop and stare would be. I looked at her face very briefly and saw that sexy smirk there at the sight of me all flustered. The sheer material left very little to the imagination and it was all I could do to not jump up and tear the thing off of her. She looks so hot. There really wasn't much else my mind could comprehend while staring at Emily clad in that tight, black, see through lingerie other than: _Fuck she's hot, how did I get so lucky, it should be the law that she dresses like this to bed every day_.

It only got better when she pointed at me and curled her finger, beckoning me to go to her. I jumped up from the bed, bounding over to her in seconds but stopping a foot short, not exactly sure what do to with my sexy girlfriend.

"Come here" She whispered, taking my hands and placing them on her waist. She leaned towards me slowly, taking my lips in a heated, passionate kiss as my hands began to wonder her body. Her arms were around my neck while mind traveled from her waist to her back, getting brave and settling lower on her perfectly round ass. She moaned loudly in my mouth, then biting my lip firmly, causing me to let out a moan of my own.

"So hot" I whispered against her lips. She pushed me back slowly, until the backs of my legs hit the bed and I crawled backwards to the headboard. Emil smiled and seductively crawled up after me, slowly making her way for me down on all fours. I just stared in amazement, completely turned on at this point. She crawled on top of me and continued making out with me. My hands got a little more brave and began kneading her perfect breasts while the other was firmly gripping her hair, keeping her face close to mine. Her hands were at the hem of my shirt, gently brushing the skin at my hips before becoming bolder and travling up my stomach and to my bra-covered breasts.

"Shirt. Off. Now" She mumbled against my lips. I pulled back a little so she could get a good grip at my shirt. She wasted no time in taking it off and throwing it across the room. Her hands continued along my torso, and I felt her one hand dip down between my thighs, where she began rubbing against the fabric of my jeans. I let out a loud moan and I felt Emily smile happily against my lips before she moved her hand back up, undoing my jeans. I felt a stab of pain at the loss of contact against my center but that was quickly replaced when Emily pulled my jeans off and settled flush against my body. I loved the feeling of her warm skin against mine and it only got better when she pressed her leg between my thighs and moved her lips to my neck. I was completely undone because of her and it was getting to a point where I could no longer take it. She was too hot for her own good. I undid my own bra, tossing it aside. I needed her naked, like right now.

Without warning, I flipped us so she was back to the mattress down and growled hungrily in her ear. She let out a gasp as I tried to find the best way to get the pesky material off of her. It looked fairly complicated to me and I really didn't have time for that so without thought I grabbed the cut out of fabric at the centre of her chest and pulled, ripping the thin material quickly, effectively getting it out of my way.

"Paige!" Emily yelled in shock.

"Shh!" I started hungrily kissing her smooth stomach and she let out an involuntary moan.

"Did you seriously just 'Shh' me?" She asked. I didn't answer, I just continued kissing her, pulling away the now ripped material. Luckily, the bra and panties were a separate part of the get up apparently, so the whole thing hadn't gone to waste. Not that I cared much at the moment.

"Hanna's going to kill you" Emily warned. I pressed my leg hard into her centre and Emily let out a loud whimper.

"Are you seriously thinking about Hanna right now?" I asked teasingly.

"Not anymore" Emily half moaned. I reached behind her and undid the sexy, lace black bra that matched the now ripped fabric of the chemise and threw that aside as well. My mouth traveled up to her breasts, taking each of them into my mouth and hands kneading and sucking at them much to mine and Emily's pleasure. Finally, her moans were becoming more and more frustrated so I continued kissing down her body to her thighs. I wasn't in the teasing mood, and I sensed Emily wasn't either so I quickly inserted two fingers in her center, getting a nice loud moan from Emily.

"Paige!" She moaned, bringing a flow of heat between my thighs at hearing her moan my name, it only pushed me further, wanting to give Emily the best experience. I could feel her getting close, so I clamped my mouth down on her clit , sucking and rolling my tongue quickly until I felt her contract against me and let out a loud moan/groan of pleasure. I let her ride out her orgasm, feeling her whimper as she finally exhausted herself she pulled me up and gave me a soft kiss on the lips with a huge grin on her face.

"Well that didn't take long" She commented happily. "I'm guessing you liked what you saw?" She asked teasingly.

"mmm" I agreed with a moan. Emily began running her fingers down my neck to my breasts and I suddenly remembered how turned on I still was.

As if Emily could read my mind, she flashed me a sexy smirk before rolling over and straddling my waist, pressing her warm, still soaking centre against mine. "Your turn" She whispered seductively.

**Emily's POV-**

"So?" I asked my dad expectantly as we were sitting in the Frankfurt Airport food court eating breakfast together while Paige and my mom were at the boarding gate with our stuff.

"So what?" My dad asked, although I was pretty sure he knew where this was headed.

"Paige? Come on dad what do you really think of her?"

My dad grinned. "I think she is a great girl Emily, you don't need to worry about getting my approval. She won me over the first time your mom mentioned her. She's a good one, Emmy. You two are lucky to have each other" I loved when my dad and I could have serious talks like this. On top of that, I was more than glad he liked Paige.

"Don't let her go Emily" My dad warned.

I wanted to laugh at the possibility of that happening. "I wouldn't ever." He smiled at me in satisfaction. "I'm going to miss you like crazy though." The thought of being away from my dad after these perfect days with him makes it even harder to say goodbye. Even if its only for a couple of months.

"Two more months, Emmy. And we'll talk as much as possible until I'm home. It will go by faster than you think"

"I just wish you could be on the plane with us." I said.

"Me too, Emmy. But on the Brightside, you can look forward to a very freaked out Paige on the flight home" My father spoke loudly, looking behind me. I turned to see Paige approaching us, now blushing in embarrassment.

"Not funny, Fields!" She whined. "Fear of flying is a completely rati—"

"I work on an airbase, Paige. You're not going to convince me to be afraid of aircrafts" My dad joked. Paige sighed in defeat and began trudging away from us. My father and I laughed at Paige's moodiness as we walked, arms linked back to the boarding walked back to where my mother was sitting and hung around for another half an hour, talking and reminiscing in the amazing holiday we all had.

_Passengers boarding flight 612 to Philadelphia Airport please approach the gate with you're boarding pass and I.D. _

I gulped, feeling the tightness fill my chest at the reality it was really time to leave. This was it, saying goodbye to my dad for another period of time. My mother and I teared up immediately and my father silently pulled us both into a hug. "We'll see each other soon. Call me when you land. I love you both so much" He whispered. He pulled back a little and smiled before turning to Paige. "Take care of them"

Paige nodded in understanding. My dad extended his free arm for Paige to join the family hug which she did without hesitation.

After a few more 'I love yous' and lots of tears, we finally broke apart and my father stood and watched the three of us go. It was easy to see that seeing us leave upset him as much as it upset us.

We approached the boarding gate, and I was automatically in a daze after saying goodbye to my dad. Luckily enough, it looked like the three of us were seated together for the flight home so my mom wouldn't be all puffy eyed between two strangers. Paige sat by the window, with me in the middle and my mother taking the aisle seat, each of us somber as the plane began to fill up. Paige remained completely silent whilst holding my hand tightly, and I wasn't sure if she was doing that for me or for herself.

"Here" I handed Paige a couple of small pills and a water bottle.

"What is it?" Paige asked as she examined the white pills.

"Something to help you sleep. My dad gave them to me, told me to slip them in your drink if you refused to take them." I joked. "It's just some cold medicine made to knock you out I'm pretty sure, you know, for the nerves"

Paige looked at the pills and then back to me and my mother before shaking her head. "How am I going to be here for you if I'm knocked out?" Paige asked, as if sleeping right now was the worst idea ever. Damn her for being so thoughtful.

I smiled and giggled a little bit, despite myself. "How are you supposed to be there for me if you're afraid we're going to crash?" I retorted.

Paige laughed, hell bent on arguing with me apparently. "Easy. I'll be so distracting, rambling on like I always do when I'm nervous. It will be so annoying you won't even have time to think! See, I'm brilliant." Paige gloated.

"You're something" I mumbled. "Suit yourself" I grumbled.

"You'll see him again soon" Paige whispered softly. "For the record, I don't think I've ever met a guy that has so much unconditional love and is so accepting"

I simply nodded in agreement, unable to speak without crying at the moment. My mom was doing the same thing, burying her face in a book to hide the pain she felt upon leaving my dad.

Of course, I couldn't have asked for a better holiday with my family. Paige here made everything complete. I had never felt to whole in my life in these days in Germany and leaving that was hard. I gripped the necklace Paige had gotten me for Christmas and traced the hearts with my thumb. "Thanks" I finally responded to Paige. She simply gripped my hand a little tighter and leaned her head on my shoulder. I would be content if she comforted me this way the whole trip home.

We finally arrived back to Philly and reality was beginning to set back in. We were back home, where things were going to turn back to the norm. The three of us were dazed and tired as we loaded into the car and began the quick drive back to Rosewood. We were all silent and obviously cranky from the long day of traveling and facing that it was the end of our holidays. I looked over at Paige to see her typing out a text to her father letting him know she was home safe and sound just as we were leaving the Airport. I imagined him being relieved at this information, just as my father would be. I know Paige said he wasn't a man capable of love but I still held it in my mind that it would be impossible not to love Paige if you took the time to know her.

"Paige?" My mom suddenly broke the silence as we were coming up on the boundaries to Rosewood.

"mmm?"

"Honey I know we said you could stay at the house until you're foot was better but, if you'd like to stay a little longer, or umm… more permanently we can figure that out no problem." My mom suggested.

My eyes lit up at the notion of Paige actually _living_ with us for real. I wouldn't have to worry about her being alone and I could actually see her every day. I looked at Paige eagerly but my face fell when I saw the conflicted look on her face.

"I don't want to impose, Pam. I really do appreciate the offer though" Paige smiled apologetically at the both of us.

My mom sighed and I really hoped she wouldn't get snappy with Paige for refusing the offer. Her motherly instincts could sometimes get the best of her. "Paige, we _want_ you to stay with us." I nodded quickly in agreement. "You're seventeen years old, you shouldn't be staying in an apartment by yourself!"

"Honestly, I'm fine there. I'm happy in the apartment. I really appreciate everything you've done for me but I think I need to go home for a while. Please, don't take that the wrong way because I love you both and you've been nothing but great to me but I think this holiday has made me realise I need to square some things away with my own family." Paige said.

"Fine. But if you ever change your mind, or even if you just want to spend the night, you know you're always welcome no matter what right?" My mom relented. Paige nodded in agreement and thanked her one more time. "And if you ever need help with your father, please don't be afraid to come to me." My mother added.

"Of course" Paige agreed.

I was a little upset with Paige for not accepting the offer to stay at the house with us but if I knew anything about Paige, it was only because she was afraid of my mom coming to regret the offer and wishing she could take it back. I would have to straighten things out with her when we had a moment alone. I hoped we weren't going to fight about it but I really no longer liked the idea of Paige staying alone, especially after everything that had happened with Shana.

We arrived back at the house and unpacked the car only to have Paige transfer her things into her Jeep. I helped her load her things before going inside and packing the stuff she had in my room from the weeks before. After we loaded everything I took her hands in mine and looked her in the eye. "Do you really need to go home already? Can't we just hang out for a big, take a nap together or something? I'm so tired?" I asked innocently. I'll admit I was trying really hard to seduce her into staying for my own selfish reasons. I just really wanted to cuddle with her.

"Sorry, Em. I really need to get home and settled again. School starts back up in a couple of days and I need to phone Kelly and my family will probably want to visit since they havn't seen me over the holidays. Or I should at least call them I guess." Paige grumbled. I huffed in defeat and went to walk away but Paige tugged my hand, pulling me back to her. "You can come with me to the apartment and help me get all my stuff unpacked? I'll drop you off later if you want." Paige offered.

I nodded eagerly and skipped back inside to tell my mom I was headed to Paige's for a bit.

We pulled up to the apartment about 10 minutes later and it felt suddenly very strange. We hadn't been here in nearly a month and now Paige was moving back in. Now here we were, the quaint little apartment behind The Brew that Paige was going to live alone at again.

"Paige, why don't you want to stay with us?" I asked as she turned off the ignition. She paused for a moment before looking at me and smiling sadly.

"You knew staying at your house was only temporary. Emily there's a lot of skeletons in my closet when it comes to my family and this holiday made me realise I need to face them, show them what a mistake they've made. It has nothing to do with you or your mom, I'm so thankful for you two." Paige spoke honestly. I simply nodded in understanding. "Besides," Paige continued. "I know your mom said I could stay as long as I want but I would never overstay a welcome." I rolled my eyes but Paige leaned over and gave me a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Let's get all your crap moved back in!" I agreed.

I was just about to open the door when Paige reached over and stopped me. I looked at her in immediate concern and she gave me a stern look.

"Paige?!" I asked in shock.

"You can't come in!" She blurted out.

I felt a pang of hurt deep in my chest before I pushed that feeling aside, suddenly wondering why Paige was being like this.

"And why not?" I asked slowly. I stared her down, trying to figure out why she was acting this way. "Paige?" I asked again, this time more sternly.

The—Its going to be a mess in there anyways. You don't need to see that. And you said you were tired, why don't you just take the Jeep and come back a little later? You really don't need to come in right now" Paige rambled, while staring directy at the second story apartment door aprehensivly.

"Okaaaay?" I was really not impressed with how she was acting right now. "At least let me help you bring your stuff inside?" It was meant to be a statement but Paige's attitude turned it into more of a question.

"Just go Emily!" Paige blurted out.

What the fuck? I couldn't for the life of me understand Paige's sudden shortness with me. Not two seconds ago she was talking about how much she loved me and now she was bluntly telling me to go? I felt tears begin to well up in my eyes but I shrugged it off. I did nothing wrong, so why was Paige treating me like this.

"I'm not going anywhere until you explain to me why you're acting like this!" I raised my voice, getting angry with Paige's confusing ways.

"Just leave it Emily, please" Paige suddenly softened, looking at me pleadingly. "I'll call you later alright?"

Ok what was with the mood swings? "Paige" I huffed impatiently. "We're not getting out of this car until you explain to me why in two seconds, you suddenly don't want me around anymore?" I felt the sadness coming back as I expressed how I was feeling out loud.

Paige sighed and rubbed her temples. As if my words had set something else off in her, there were suddenly tears streaming down her face. She tried to wipe them away quickly, but I caught her before she could hide.

"Talk to me, Paige" I asked, this time more softly. I was even more confused than before now that Paige was practically breaking down instead of yelling. _What the hell is going on?_ It wasn't like Paige to suddenly cry or yell. That was usually me. I reached out for her but she flinched and pulled away.

I gave her a moment, before looking at her pressingly, silently telling her to explain. "I'm sorry" She said with a shaky voice. She pointed her finger out of the passenger window so I turned briefly to see what she was looking at. A few parking spots down was a two door black Dodge Challenger with tinted windows. "That's my dad's car." Paige explained. I felt my stomach drop and I suddenly understood Paige's complete breakdown and apprehension to have me go inside. "He must be in the apartment waiting for me" Paige sounded absolutely devastated.

"Ok?I thought you wanted to clear the air with him?" I asked. I was completely terrified of meeting Paige's dad but for Paige I would go in there with or without her to explain how much I loved his amazing daughter.

"You don't understand!" Paige protested. "He doesn't visit for no reason Emily. That text I sent him, he must have left as soon as he knew I was home. I never even got a reply. Something's up." Paige insisted.

Now I was worried. What could Paige's dad possibly be doing here without so much as a phone call. "Let's go" I said determinedly. It was my turn to be brave for Paige when she couldn't be and I wasn't about to let her face her father alone. I wouldn't have it.

"Emily wait!" Paige protested.

"I'm not waiting, Paige. For whatever reason he's here, he needs to know that there are people here that love you and I'm not letting you go in there alone to face him. I'm not leaving your side, got that?" Paige nodded and opened the drivers door, stepping out. I quickly got out of her Jeep and walked over to her, taking her hand and walked towards the stairs. "It's going to be fine." I assured her.

"You don't know what he's like Emily." Paige warned. "Please, don't let anything he says get to you. I would really rather do this alone" She mumbled.

I shook my head firmly. We made it up the stairs and to the door. "You ready?" I asked.

Paige shook her head. "Will you just wait out here?" She asked, one last ditch effort to shut me out.

I shook my head, "No."

"Here we go" Paige mumbled, opening the already unlocked door. Paige pulled her hand away from mine immediately, giving me an apologetic look. Even though I knew she was only doing that to prevent a screaming match with her father, it still hurt deep down. Paige had never made an effort to hide our relationship before and I hated that her father brought that out in her.

There stood Paige's dad, pacing silently back and forth in the living room. He was dressed in a fancy work suit and had an emotionless expression on his face. When he turned to us, his brow furrowed slightly at the sight of me, before smoothing out again and resuming his emotionless state. He smiled, but it seemed fake somehow to me as he looked at Paige. "Ah Paige. Nice to see you" He spoke politely. He completely ignored me, only looking at Paige now.

Paige looked at him, wearing the same emotionless expression that her father had. "Dad" she acknowledged. The way they interacted was strange to me. Her father remained silent. It was quiet for so long it was beginning to get awkward, tense. continued pacing again before looking directly at Paige with a now stern expression.

"I hope you enjoyed your holiday. Now I think it's time for you to come home."


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N Two updates within three days? Oh my god two updates in one weekend? Who am I? I wrote this in two hours today believe it or not and I figured I should just get it out there while I can. Sorry for the last few updates its been kind of 'meh' but I think I kind of got back into it today so please let me know how this one is. There's only going to be a few more chapters but I plan on doing another story after this. If anyone has any ideas for that send them my way :) **

**I know the story it kind of dramatic and Paige goes through a lot but that kind of was the premises of the story sooo this chapter is kind of intense I guess you could say. Things between Paige and her Dad escalate to a whole new level, so consider yourself warned. **

**EndWorldPeas: get out of here you cuddle-bug. **

**Thanks to everybody the reads and reviews.**

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Paige's POV-

Seeing that black Challenger brought back the familiar ache in my stomach that I hadn't felt in what seemed like ages. Rosewood, the town I swore would never warm on me, had unknowingly become a safe haven for me, somewhere that I actually felt real. It was my own fault that I had allowed myself to think, even for a moment that I wouldn't have to fall under my father's demands any longer. For once I had thought that _his _decision on my behalf to send me here actually turned out to be a good thing, that I could actually be happy at something he forced me to do. I should have known it wouldn't last.

It was a shock in itself that Emily managed to calm me enough in the car to keep me from driving away and never returning. I knew my father, he wouldn't have come to my apartment so soon after my return just because he missed me. Something was up and I was sure it had something to do with my trip to Germany. When Pam had called my father to let him know we were going I hadn't heard a word from him, Pam simply told me 'not to worry about it' so that's exactly what I did. Again, I should have known things with my father were never that simple. There had to be a price to pay for my little vacation and his appearance in Rosewood today was proof of this.

Emily's firm grip on my hand as we walked up the stairs to my apartment was the only thing keeping me together right now. I wished she had just listened to me and left when I told her to, but Emily was nearly as stubborn as I was and if the situation were reversed, I would be right by Emily's side so I understood her reluctance to let me deal with this alone. Thing was, my father had no filter. Whatever his thoughts were on Emily were not going to be nice and he had a way of getting under peoples skin. I didn't want Emily to feel the hurt he could cause. I _couldn't _let my father do that to her. I wouldn't.

I paused at the door, mumbling to myself before taking a deep breath and going through the unlocked door, ready to get this over with. As soon as I saw my father I pulled my hand away from Emily's. It was a stupid, nervous reaction (although I was really just trying to help Emily) and I saw Emily flinch slightly as the gesture.

I couldn't focus on me own stupidity for very long though. There stood my father, the man I hadn't seen nor spoken to in months dressed in his usual suit with that annoyingly emotionless face pacing back and forth. He stopped pacing as we came into the apartment, glancing over at the two of us, both probably with apprehensive looks. My dads gaze focused on Emily for a moment and his calm, emotionless façade dropped momentarily as he glared at her. It only lasted a moment before he looked back to me and gave me a taunting smile that made me want to run again.

"Ah, Paige. Nice to see you" He said, laced with the voice he usually saved for his business clients.

_That's it! _I wanted to scream. _Months of barely speaking to me and all you have to say is 'nice to see you'. I'm your daughter!_ But as usual when it came to my father I just swallowed my tongue and let it go. He had barely even started and I was sure there would be more than enough opportunities to get in a screaming match with him today. Still, after everything my father had done to me, I didn't have it in my to fight back hard enough to ever win. He still had a hold on me that I couldn't seem to break free of.

No one spoke a word for a few beats. My father took the opportunity to speak again, this time giving me a stern look that had me tensed. "I hope you enjoyed your holiday. Now I think it's time for you to come home"

_What?_ Come home? "I—I am home now dad" I sputtered out.

He huffed impatiently and rolled his eyes. "Back to Philadelphia obviously" He said. "I can see things in Rosewood aren't working out as planned for you" his gaze flitted to Emily momentarily before falling back on me. He stared at me impatiently, as if he was expecting me to go pack up my things right away.

"Wh—What about swimming?" I asked. It was the only thing I could think of that would make him reconsider yet another relocation for me. I could really care less if I ever swam again, but I just didn't want to go back to Philadelphia if it meant living with him again.

"I've got a personal coach lined up back home" He answered. "And a tudor" he added.

"I'm getting homeschooled now?" I asked. "This is ridiculous dad I'm doing just fine here!" I reasoned.

He simply shook his head. "No. You're not." He stated, as if my opinion was completely wrong. I felt the anger boiling up in me at his ignorance. "You're off frolicking around in Germany. I let you have your fun Paige, now its time to get serious. You don't have time for distractions anymore" Again, he looked at Emily when he spoke about distractions. I felt sick to my stomach. How dare he call Emily anything.

"You don't know her" I mumbled.

My fathers eyes widened dramatically as he looked at me. "Excuse me?" he spat. "Pack your things, we'll talk about this later." He finished. He glared back at Emily. "I think it's time you left."

Emily stepped forward, looking at me pleadingly with tears in her eyes. It was heartbreaking. I held my hand out and she took it, smiling at me softly as she rubbed her thumb over my knuckles, reassuring me that I had her.

"She's not going anywhere" I spoke with some confidence. "This is my girlfriend, dad. She's made my time in Rosewood something I'll never forget. This is Emily" I smiled, hoping, as a last ditch effort that he would understand how truly happy I was and leave with no questions asked.

It was a fools hope. He laughed tauntingly at me. "Again with the girlfriend?" he scoffed. "You don't have time to be getting cozy with the captain Paige. I'm going to ask you one more time, pack your things"

Just like that my momentary confidence was shot down. I felt my tears begin to fall as I wanted so badly to fight back and defend Emily but my mouth felt frozen shut.

"Sir," Emily began. "I've been with your daughter for a while now, and she's nothing but amazing. I can understand why you'd want her to come home with you but, I think she's really happy here." Emily spoke sweetly and I felt awful for what my father was about to do.

He laughed in her face, just as I expected. "Trust me, the last thing Paige needs it _your kind_ slowing down her progress. I don't know what you've done to delude my daughter into thinking she's like you but she certainly doesn't need a _fag_ sticking up for her" I had to blink a few times to register what my father had actually just said. Sure, he was rude but I had never heard something quite so inconsiderate leave his mouth.

"Dad!" I had to defend Emily, I had to say something, anything. "Anything you say to her is an insult to me too. I love her dad, please, don't do this" I begged.

He laughed mockingly again and I felt the urge to hit him. I balled my hand in a fist and held it tightly to the point where the blood flow started cutting off. "You're seventeen years old. You don't know what love is. Stop being so foolish. You need to be home in a stable household to realize how wrong this is." He glared at Emily. "I don't know who your parents are to accept this rubbish but I hope one day you grow up and step out of this sinful phase. Stay out of my daughter's life"

I was about to step in but Emily stepped forward, in front of me slightly to speak. The last thing I ever wanted was for Emily to go toe to toe with my father. I knew how this was going to end but I was still motionless, powerless to stop it from playing out.

"Mr. McCullers. My family is only accepting me for who I am. They do the same thing for Paige, something you've apparently never done. If you were a real father in the first place, you wouldn't have let a _seventeen _year old live alone in a different town" Emily threw my father's words back in his face. "It's really a shame you haven't gotten to know how amazing your daughter is. She actually believes you don't love her. You can blame my parents for me being 'this way' but what kind of father have you been, ignoring your daughter and sending her away in the first place only to further her swimming? You haven't been there for her, so how can you call yourself her father?" Emily asked.

This is why I loved Emily. She could be brave for me when I couldn't form the words myself.

My father was speechless for a moment. He closed his eyes and rubbed his temples out of frustration. I had never seen him have to think about his words but Emily's keenness had left him trembling. He opened his eyes, glaring at Emily once again before letting out a sharp laugh. "And how much has your father been around Ms. Fields?" He asked. That sickness in my stomach returned. "Last I heard, you and your mother lived alone while he was out working. Hell, he couldn't even come home for the holidays could he?" It was such a low blow. My father had never been disrespectful about soldiers before but apparently he had no boundries.

Emily tensed beside me and I shot her an apologetic look.

"You're out of line, dad" I spat.

"Either way, you lose the apartment starting next month, which is in a few days so you'd better get packed. I pulled your account, so you have no money and I'd but in your withdrawal at Rosewood. It should go through when the school opens again so you're done here. Pack your things." He spoke with finality and I felt defeated. He wasn't going to let this go and just like how he moved me here, I was already set up to move back to Philadelphia.

"Paige" Emily looked at me, turning to face me completely with tears streaming down her face. "You don't have to do anything ok? You can come home with me. We can talk to my mom and she'll help you sort this out. You don't have to let this happen." She was in complete sobs now and I felt so guilty for the words my father had said.

"Em" I spoke her name sadly and she knew what I was about to say.

"Paige do you want to go?" She asked me, although she already knew the answer.

"I _need _to go, Em" I whispered, tears of my own falling. Her breath caught and I saw how much it hurt that I was actually leaving Rosewood. I turned to my dad, scowling in hatred at him, "Are you happy now?" I asked.

"I'll be waiting in the car" he answered. "We'll stop by later this week to pick up your Jeep and the rest of your things. You have 20 minutes Paige" he spoke sternly before turning on his heels, brushing his shoulder against Emily's as he left the apartment.

How could it be that he would let me go to Germany and then just come and take it all away in a matter of minutes? It was as if he wanted to make sure I was as happy as possible before pulling the carpet out from under me to make sure I knew how powerful he was. There wasn't a doubt in my mind that he knew completely the hold he had on my decisions and that I couldn't say no to him. He would take any opportunity to prove that and here he was yet again, making my life a living hell.

Emily finally let out a loud sob as we stood in the apartment alone. I didn't know what to do. "Paige don't leave" she cried. I pulled her into my arms, letting her cry it out for a few moments.

"I don't have much of a choice Em" I muttered, burying my face in her hair, afraid that this was actually going to be it for us. "I love you, I'll call you when I can ok?" That was it, my big goodbye.

"No." Emily said.

"What?"

"You're not doing this to yourself. I won't let you. I won't let him win Paige. I know why you can't stand up to him, but I'll be damned if I let you walk away unless that's exactly what you want." Emily said determinedly. "What do _you_ want Paige?" She asked.

"Emily it's not that easy" I said. "I have to go" I turned to walk to my bedroom so I could get my things but Emily caught my waist from behind, holding me flush against her chest while her arms encircled my torso. "Emily what are you doing?" I half laughed.

"Paige, what's our thing?" she asked. As she said it she tightened her hold on me. She didn't give me a chance to answer. "I'm not letting you go." She kissed my shoulder softly. "We're going to figure this out alright, but I can't let you leave unless you let me come with you." I laughed a little bit at the thought of a road trip to Philly with Emily and my dad in an enclosed space.

"Emily" I tried to reason but she had a really good point. Why should I leave Rosewood?

"Don't you dare Emily me" She argued. "Your dad can't force you to leave and if he tries I swear Paige I'll call the police. When you described your dad I didn't imagine.." I felt Emily shudder against me as she still had a tight grip on me.

"I'm so sorry" I apologized, feeling guilty for my father's harsh words. "He has no limits when people try and stop him from getting his way. That's why I'm so afraid of trying to stay here. I don't want him to say those things to you ever again."

"Oh sweetie," Emily turned my around in her arms, holding me at arm's length and giving me a serious look. "Never blame yourself for that. You've had to deal with that your entire life I think I can take a few rash words."

"Better it be me than you" I mumbled. I didn't want anyone speaking to Emily like that let alone someone I shared DNA with. "Think your mother can get here in less than 13 minutes?" I asked.

Emily smiled dazzlingly at me. "You're going to stay?" She asked.

"How could I ever say no to you?" I joked. "He's going to lose his mind, Emily. I need to explain that to your mom. If I fight this, it's not going to be pretty and I really wish you guys didn't get caught in the crossfire."

Emily was already dialing her Pam's number. "We're going to be right by your side." She answered.

"Mom?" Emily asked. She started speaking quickly, explaining the situation hastily. "You need to get here, fast. Paige's dad, he's trying to force her to leave and Paige doesn't want to go. I'm scared for her mom. She can't go back to that. Please, you have to help us? Let Paige stay with us please? I couldn't take it if she left." Emily began crying a little again so I rubbed her back soothingly.

"He's waiting outside for her" Emily explained. "Paige says he's going to lose it if she doesn't go with him. But I'm afraid he's lose it even if she did mom."

A moment passed while her mother spoke. Emily nodded somberly. "I love you mom, see you soon" she hung up.

Emily looked at me with a smile. "She's on her way. Five minutes she said" I laughed a little considering that it was a 10 minute drive from Emily's house to the apartment.

"I guess it's a good thing I have most of my stuff packed then." That meant retrieving it all from the Jeep. I decided I would leave the Jeep here, if my father wanted to take away everything he'd given me, I wouldn't put up a fight. He could have it all for all I cared.

"Can you do me a favor?" I asked. Emily nodded. "Go get my stuff from the Jeep while I explain to my dad that I'm not going anywhere with him." I asked.

Emily shook her head. "I don't want you to deal with him alone" she insisted.

I smiled confidently at her. "I already know what I'm going to say. Don't worry." I explained. I took her head and led her to the apartment door. I turned and took one last look at the place that had sort of become a home for me during my time in Rosewood. I wouldn't deny that I was going to miss this little loft apartment, the nights I spent with Emily alone, the days where she'd cook for me and the evenings when we could curl up on the leather couch and watch movies. I shook it all off as I turned the doorknob, leading Emily down the stairs. As we approached the parking lot I pulled Emily in for a kiss, hoping my dad was watching.

"Love you" I whispered in her ear before walking towards the tinted Challenger a couple of spaces down from the Jeep. The windows were closed but the car was running. I wanted to laugh at how ridiculous he could be. He was prepared to drive away as soon as I got in the car. I tapped, no banged, on the driver side window, waiting for him to roll it down so I could explain what was happening.

He didn't roll down the window for me so I turned and began walking away. I heard the window rolling down now, so I turned and walked back. "Get in the car Paige" my dad said.

"No." I answered.

"We've been through this Paige. You're leaving. Now."

"No, _you're _leaving." I retorted. "I'm sick of you thinking you can control me. We may share the same genes but you are in no way my father. Hell, you weren't even there to raise me for the first years of my life! You don't get to do this anymore. You gave me this independent life this year, well guess what, it taught me that I don't deserve the treatment you've been giving me!"

"I've given you everything you could ever want you selfish, spoiled brat!" He yelled. I really had set him off. I saw a few pedestrians look our way. Great, he was going to cause a scene now. "You _are _my daughter and you _will _get in this car when I ask you" He all but screamed.

"Not anymore I'm not. I'm filing for emancipation." I told him. His mouth dropped a little, clearly not expecting that. "You can take away everything, the car, the money, the apartment. I don't need it. Hell, I don't want anything you've given me. I'm filing for emancipation and you know that when I show the courts the shit you've gotten away with I'll get it. I'll be free from you for real." I spoke with confidence, knowing that I was right. I felt Emily's presence close behind me.

"You did this!" he jabbed a finger towards Emily.

I stepped in front of her, putting his attention only on me. "No, you did it, Nick." I saw him cringe a little at me calling him by his name. "I'll be calling my mom tonight. Other than that, I have nothing else to say. We're done here" I turned, taking Emily's hand and started to walk away.

I had done it, I finally stood up to my father in the way I wanted to for so long. I smiled happily at the enormous weight that had just been lifted off my chest.

I heard his car door open and slam shut. "You can't walk away from me!" he shouted. I turned to see him storming towards me and Emily angrily. I'd seen my fathers temper many times but I had never seen him like this before. His eyes were bulging from his skull and the large vein on his forehead looked like it was about to burst. "Get. Over. Here. Now." He spoke threw gritted teeth.

"No" I answered.

"Listen to me!" he roared, continuing to walk towards us. I remained planted where I was.

"I'm not going anywhere with you" I spoke calmly, not feeling the need to fight back or give in anymore. I had already won.

What I wasn't expecting was for him to keep trying. His temper had apparently got the best of him as his large hand clamped down on my upper arm tightly. He literally yanked me in the direction of the car, causing me to stubble. It all happened so fast I barely had time to balance myself as I nearly fell on the pavement. I pulled the opposite way only to feel a searing pain run all the way through my arm as the muscles stretched and tore.

"Let her go!" Emily cried. "You're hurting her!" He only squeezed tighter, forcing me to let out a yelp of pain.

"Dad!" I tried to reason, get him to come to his senses but it was no use.

"Get your hands off her, NOW" Everything was happening at once, I hadn't even seen Pam arrive. She looked enraged but sure of herself as she hastily approached the scene in front of her. "Let her go, or I'm calling the police right now." Pam said, holding her phone up.

He released my arm quickly, taking a step back. Pam stepped towards him, looking at me briefly with a look that made me know I was safe, protected. Emily ran to me, a sobbing mess as she wrapped an arm carefully around my waist.

"Paige are you ok?" She asked worriedly. She reached out to touch my arm but I stopped her. I just looked at her and nodded, not able to find any words right now given what had just happened. I focused on Pam and my father who were now having a standoff.

"How dare you lay a hand on that girl?" Pam asked. "I work at the police station, and you can guarantee that this is going to get back to them. You're not to step foot near her or Emily again, you understand?"

What caused the tears in my eyes was not that my own father had just laid a hand on me. It was the fact that even though Pam had just reamed him out for doing such a thing, there was no regretful or apologetic look to his face. He only looked even more angry than before. I was ashamed that someone so cold could be my father. He turned without another word and walked to the car, getting in and driving away just like that.

I stood frozen for a moment, still trying to process how everything had escalated within seconds, and how much worse it could have gotten if it hadn't been for Pam arriving when she did. I was also disoriented at how fast it was over. It seemed like barely five minutes had passed from the moment he grabbed my arm to the moment I could see his car speeding down the street. I stared at the car until it turned and I could see it no longer. I continued staring, dazed at how much my life had just changed.

Pam approached me slowly, as if not to startle me. "Paige?" she asked softly. I snapped out of it, looking at her probably like a fish out of water, wide eyes, trying to get a breath. She raised her hand slowly, bringing it forward to place it on my untouched shoulder. I relaxed at her touch and I heard her breathe a sigh of relief. She coaxed me to look at her and I saw the concerned, yet soft inviting expression on her face. "Are you alright honey?"

I nodded, still unable to find my voice as I ran through the last few minutes over and over again. I was still aware of a very torn up Emily crying quietly by my side. "I—I'm alright" I finally answered.

Pam smiled sadly at me. "Do you want to go get your arm checked out?" She asked. "You may have pulled something" I shook my head. My arm was sore, but it felt like a torn muscle, something I'd dealt with more than enough time. Ice should do it. "Do you want to go to the police?" she offered. "I'm going to explain to them what happened but if you want to go right now, if that will make you feel safer..?" She offered.

I shook my head again. "I trust you" I whispered.

Pam smiled in understanding. "How about we go home then?" she asked.

I smiled and nodded. "Please".

Pam and Emily loaded my things up while I sat in the back seat waiting. These few minutes alone let me process exactly what happened and I felt myself on the verge of another breakdown. I kept playing in my mind the face that my own father actually intended to hurt me today and I could help but imagine how much worse it would have been if Pam hadn't shown up. What if we never called her? What if no one else saw? What if he went after Emily in his anger instead of me?

I must have started crying during my thoughts because before I knew it Emily was sitting next to me holding my hand and wiping a few shed tears away from my face. "You're safe now" she assured me. I knew she was right. I tried my best to smile at her, not really sure if it turned into a smile or a sad attempt of one but she smiled back and rested her head on my shoulder as Pam drove us home.

"Shall we get you settled in?" Pam asked as she took my suitcases in the front door. "You can have the guest room to put your things if you'd like" Pam offered. "I think you know I don't care if you and Emily sleep in the same bed, but I want you to have your own space here so consider the guest room yours." Pam said sweetly.

"Thanks" I said. "Emily can you help me get my bags up there?" I asked.

"I'll take care of them Paige, why don't you go get some ice for your arm. I'll find you a heating pad for later while I'm upstairs" Emily said. She turned, taking my stuff and climbing the stairs.

I turned to face Pam, happy I had a moment alone to really thank her. Wordlessly, I walked over and carefully wrapped my arms around her. "Thank you. I can't help but think of what might have happened if you weren't there today" I shuddered in her arms at the reoccurring thought.

"Of course. We'll get it sorted out in good time Paige. I don't want you to worry. I have the resources at work to get this all figured out." She assured me. "Whenever you feel ready, you should write down exactly what happened in your own words ok? Whatever comes to mind when you think about what happened, I want you to write it all down." I nodded, agreeing to do anything that would make this all blow over fast. "Also, can you write down a contact number for your mother. Preferable a cell phone or a work number. I'd like to tell her what happened, just so she's aware. If you're alright with that of course"

I agreed, writing down my mom's personal cell number. I wondered how she might react but most of the time she defended my dad so I wasn't really expecting her to come running for me. I got a bag of ice from the freezer and placed it on my arm, breathing easy at the relief it brought.

"I don't know how to thank you two enough" I stated as Emily came and sat next to me in the kitchen. She placed a hand on my thigh soothingly. "Of all the luck huh. We just had an amazing holiday and we come back and my family brings the drama."

"We're always here for you. It's not your fault at all, sweetie. I'm just glad you're safe now." Emily told me. Pam nodded in agreement. "Are you hungry?" she asked. I shook my head. I had no appetite right now whatsoever. "You should eat something" she whispered. I shook my head again and she let out a little sigh. "You're sure you're alright?" she asked, looking at me for any hint of me lying.

"I'm doing ok" I answered honestly. "Really I'm just exhausted. I don't want to think about what happened anymore today."

"Want to go sleep?" Emily offered.

"I can try" It didn't seem hopeful though. My mind was still racing even though my body felt drained. Emily got another ice pad for me and wrapped it in a cloth while Pam gave me a couple of painkillers. Really they were fussing over me a little bit but I wasn't fighting it tonight. The truth was I was still pretty shaken up and I felt really fragile.

Emily took my hand and led me up the stairs straight to her bedroom. She tossed me a pair of her pajama pants and my sharks t-shirt I left here. As I removed my long sleeve I cringed at the 5 purple bruises my dad's fingers had left on my pale skin. So I was going to have a physical reminder of what happened for the next week or so whether the pain was there or not. _Great_.

Emily saw the marks and frowned. "I hate him" She muttered. Her little pout was sort of cute even thought the look her eyes was anything but. "I sorry I panicked." Emily started. I looked at her completely confused. "I should have stopped him before it even started. I should have fought back for you I should have—have" I broke her off with a lingering kiss to her lips.

"I wouldn't have had you do anything else" I whispered. "I'm sorry you had to see that in the first place." I brushed the hair away from her face and placed another kiss to her cheek. "I'm sorry that my family is such a mess."

"Paige—"

"Shh. Can we just talk about this another time. I don't want to think about it anymore today" I practically begged.

"Anything you want Paige" She answered with a smile.

I flopped down on her bed and scooted under the covers. Emily smirked at me before getting changed and doing the same. She placed a soft kiss to my arm before placing the ice on it and snuggling into my side, placing her head on my shoulder.

"I love you Paige, you deserve nothing but the best. We'll get everything sorted out for you ok? Just don't worry your pretty mind" I kissed her on the head, letting my eyes drift shut, surprising to myself that I was calm enough to fall asleep.


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N- Hey people! Here's the next update and the one after will be up in a couple of days. Hopefully this one is alright because as usual I'm not really too sure about it. It may seem like it ends in an awful place, and that's because it does. But I figured making it into two chapters would be better than one so that's how the cookie crumbles. Anyways, enjoy it and thank you everybody for reading, reviewing and following. You're all my favorites!**

**EndWorldPeas: Except you. You're not my favorite. **

Emily's POV-

I felt the bed shifting and Paige squirming in my arms, letting out a soft whimper and groan as she shifted, probably trying to get comfortable. I squeezed her a little tighter, hoping she wasn't having a nightmare or worse. I still thought back to those panic attacks that night she drank too much and swore that I would never let her feel like that again.

"Paige are you up?" I whispered quietly.

She stilled her moving body and answered. "Sorry, Em. I didn't mean to wake you just go back to sleep" She whispered back. She didn't sound hoarse from crying but I still worried that she was thinking about her dad.

"Can't sleep?" I asked. She rolled over on her side, only inches from my face she gave me a sad smile. "Are you ready to talk about it?" I asked gently. I didn't want to push her but I really wanted her to feel safe.

She shrugged. "Guess so" She answered. "I just can't believe it still. I knew he was a poor excuse for a father but I _never_ imagined him going that far."

"I don't think anyone could have seen that coming Paige. I'm sorry." I apoligized, realizing that it was partially my fault for panicking that things went so far.

Paige quirked her head to the side as if to ask 'why'. "I should have done more when he first grabbed you. So many things went through my mind and I was just frozen. I'm your girlfriend, I'm supposed to protect you"

Paige frowned momentarily and I thought for a moment maybe she was disappointed in me for being so useless. Why wouldn't she be? "Don't" She said sternly. "Don't think for a second I'm upset with you for that." Paige murmured. "I don't want to imagine what my dad would have done if you would have thrown yourself in the middle. I don't know what he's capable of anymore"

"I hope he realizes what he has" I whispered. "What he lost"

"He lost me a long time ago Em. Actually, I don't think he ever really had me. You're right though. This just ruined any chance he ever had."

"At least you don't have to worry about it anymore" I agreed.

Paige shook her head at me. "Em, I don't think its quite over yet. I don't know how my mom is going to react and even if she's on my side, he's not going to give up without a fight."

I thought about what she said for a moment, "what do you mean, 'if she's on your side'. You think your mom will side with your dad?" I asked flatly.

Paige nodded "History proves it. You know your mom has done way too much for me in such a short time"

"She loves you." I answered simply. "She'd do anything for you Paige. We both know you feel the same, you really don't need to say anything"

Paige smiled and nodded in understanding. "But you know I can't let your mom get involved with this." I tried to interrupt, tell her my mom was going to fight on her side the entire way but Paige covered my mouth with her hand. "I'm serious Emily. This is going to be ugly."

I let out a sigh of frustration. It pissed me off that even after everything we'd been through and the fact that she knew how much I loved her she still didn't want me to help her through this stuff. I knew she meant well but she should have also known that there was no way in hell we weren't getting involved with this. I wasn't going to lose Paige to a man who had a temper like that. My mother wouldn't allow that either.

"No I'm serious Paige." I was letting my anger get the best of me. "You're not dealing with this alone, stop pushing us away"

"Emily." Paige said seriously. "I'm not pushing you away. This is between me and my family, I don't want you in the middle of that"

"That's exactly where I'm going to be!" I argued.

"You don't understand"

"Then explain it to me Paige. We would never let you go back to Philadelphia under _his_ roof after this."

"I'm scared Emily" Paige whispered, and I could see the tears forming under her beautiful deep brown eyes.

"Come here" I pulled her tight against my chest and let her tears silently fall. Each tear drop broke my heart a little more but I held it together for Paige's sake.

"I'm sorry for seeming like I didn't want your help its just I don't want to even think about the possibility of losing. What if it doesn't work? What if they make me go back with him? I don't want to walk away from you and Pam and I don't want you to watch me walk away after trying to help me so much." Paige was nearly in hysterics now and it was killing me.

"Shhh Paige you're alright. You're safe." I cooed. "You really think we'd let that happen to you?" I didn't care what anyone said Paige wasn't going within arm's reach of her dad again. It may not have been an intentional hit but Paige was still bruised and hurting in more ways than one.

"You wouldn't." Paige resolved. "I know that." Paige smiled apologetically. I understood her little feud with me was only her attempt of protecting me.

"Then why would you put up a fuss silly?" I teased, poking her nose with my fingertip.

"That's what I do" Paige mumbled. I felt her slightly cold fingers cling to the fabric of my shirt, wringing the material between her hands. "Sorry for being so difficult." She apologized, dipping her head and giving me a slight grin.

"Think you can get back to sleep?" I asked. She looked positively exhausted and I just wanted her to sleep in peace.

She snuggled into me a little closer and let out a sigh. "No. But you can Emily." I was about to protest but she cut me off. "I'm fine I promise there's just a lot going on in my mind right now" Then it was settled. I wasn't going back to sleep until Paige was shut-eyed with a beautiful smile on her perfect face.

"How's your arm?" I asked. I touched it softly, feeling the cool skin from the ice. I grazed my fingers up and down her arm, pressing slightly to see if she was in any pain. She didn't flinch so she either felt better or was really good at putting on a brave face.

"It's fine. It wasn't really that bad to begin with." Paige assured me. I really wished she would get it checked out but I respected her reasons not to this time. "Really, Em. If it hurts I promise I'll tell you. How are you about everything though? Please be honest" Paige asked.

"I'm fine" It was mostly true, although I ached for Paige to be alright. "Worried about you mostly" I cupped her face in my hands and brushed my thumbs along her rosy cheeks. "You know, this is a little selfish but I'm glad you're out of that apartment and here with me now" I said lightly, trying to put her in a better mood.

Paige grinned at me. "That's what I want too so you're not being _that_ selfish." Paige agreed. "I guess it would have been smart of me to just stay with you guys in the first place. Then none of this would have happened." She looked down at her arm and sighed.

"You're safe and you're here now" I assured her. "That's all that I care about"

"I'd apologize for all of the drama but I know you'd just tell me to shut up" Paige joked.

I smiled and kissed her forehead. "You know me so well" Paige yawned tiredly and I opened up my arms so she could curl into me comfortably. Feeling her safe against my chest soothed me in a way that I hoped she could feel as well. Her one arm was across my stomach, still gripping the hem of my shirt while the other was fiddling with the heart pendant around my neck.

"I love how you're always here to hold me when I need it." She whispered. "I know I come with a lot of issues but thank you for sticking around. I don't know what I would do without you" She scooted a little closer and nuzzled her head against my chest, pressing a lazy kiss to my collar bone which soon turned into a smile against my skin.

"I love you too. Now get some rest pretty girl. We'll get everything settled starting tomorrow."

We woke up a few hours later to the morning sun shinning through my window. I yawned and stretched, looking down at my girlfriend who was staring at the ceiling, looking content rather than sad.

"Morning" She spoke softly, not bothering to turn and look at me. I smiled widely at my cute as ever girlfriend. Her sleepy smile was the most adorable thing I had ever seen and the way she looked so perfectly happy despite everything made her impossibly irresistible. I repositioned myself to hover over her, holding myself up with my arms on either side of her, forcing her face to be directly on my face instead of the ceiling. She gave me an innocent look but I could see the burning behind her eyes as I leaned down and caught her lips. I moaned at the last of her lips and wasted no time in pushing my tongue with hers, trying to make the most of the short amount of time we had. The last thing I needed was for my mom to catch us and force Paige to the guest bedroom.

Paige's hand sliding under my shirt made me forget this thought completely and my hands became bolder as well, sliding up and down her toned body while nipping her lower lip, dragging my teeth along it sensually. Paige let out a loud moan and I placed my finger over her lips and grinned at her.

"Shhh" I warned her and she gave me a pleading look.

"You want me to 'Shh' when you're driving me up a wall like that?" she questioned. "Are you serious?" I moved my lips along her jaw all the way to her ear where I nibbled softly on her lobe.

"I'm dead serious babe." I whispered low in her ear. "If you want this, you better be very, _very_ quiet" I grazed my fingertips along her tattoo, scrapping ever so gently at the skin of her hip.

"Hell no" Paige whispered, suddenly flipping us over, leaving me gasping for air. I didn't have a chance to catch a breath before Paige's lips were all over mine. It was lustful, but not rough the way her lips moved against mine. I still hadn't recovered enough from her taking control to be moving with her yet so I let myself adjust to the feeling of Paige's body weight on top of mine and the feeling of her soft, tasty lips pressing against my own. I tentavly slid her hand further up my shirt, cupping my breast and pinching my left nipple sharply, forcing an even louder moan to escape my lips. Luckily it was muffled a little against Paige's mouth or surely my mother would have heard it.

"Quiet, _babe_" Paige teased. "This is how you got me in trouble last time, _remember?" _

_No._ I wanted control of the make out session on my bed this morning. I moved away from her lips to her neck, growling frustratedly against the skin I wished I could mark. I knew better though. My mom was clueless about the trouble Paige and I could get in sharing a bed but she would surely notice if I left Paige with a huge hickey on her neck. There were however, more intimate places for me to leave my mark.

Without thought, I gripped Paige's arms as she hovered above me in an attempt to regain control and get her under me again. This morning's sweet kiss turned into a semi-wrestling match between Paige and I.

But I fucked up. Paige winced and writhed in pain as I gripped her upper arm roughly, having forgotten the injury she has obtained yesterday in the heat of the moment. She let out a pained noise and I dropped my hands in shock. Paige rolled away from me, burying her face in the pillow while clutching her arm, breathing heavily in obvious amounts of pain.

"Paige I'm so sorry" I croaked, wanting to reach out for her but so afraid for her reaction to my touch. I felt tears in my eyes immediately at my own stupidity. Why did I let myself get that carried away? I knew she was still hurting. _Ugh. Way to go Emily. Your girlfriends hurting because of you now_. I was completely in tears now, feeling nothing but guilt and sorrow at my own actions. "Babe, please tell me you're alright" I begged. "What can I do?"

Paige's answer was muffled against the pillow she had her face buried in. "S'okay Em" She muttered, still in obvious pain. "Not. Your. Fault"

I relented, ever so gently placing my hand on the small of her back. "I'm so sorry, I'm so stupid." I repeated. I frantically looked around for the ice pack that I had last night. I reached over her, grabbed the now slightly cool pack, waiting for Paige to get out of the pillow so I could make her feel better.

I nudged her a little bit and she rolled on her back, looking at me with a faint smile, although I could see the pain clearly in her eyes. "Here" I handed her the icepack, afraid to do in myself out of fear of hurting her again. "I didn't think Paige, I'm so sorry"

Paige laughed gently. "Emily its not your fault. I completely forgot too. It's just a little tender that's all." Paige tried to pacify me. It was no use though.

"A little tender?" I asked skeptically. "A little tender doesn't mean rolling over in pain, babe" I looked at her seriously, really hating myself for being so ignorant still. Paige's deep brown eyes only looked at me with love and a hint of amusement. I was glad she wasn't pissed or hated me but I still couldn't help feel just like her father, doing something stupid in the moment without regard for the beautiful girl I had.

"Its not the same" Paige assured me, as if she was reading my mind. "Now instead of being all upset with yourself, why don't you just kiss it better?" She asked with that adorable smile that got me into this predicament in the first place. When I rolled my eyes at her she scoffed and moved her arm towards my face. "I'm not joking Emily. I'm not going to feel better until you kiss the pain away" She teased.

"Paige!" I groaned, "I don't wanna hurt you more"

"Emily Fields, none of your kisses could ever _hurt _me. Now 'Shhh'. No talking, just kiss my arm"

I rolled my eyes at her, although I couldn't keep the smile off my face as I leaned into her arm, gently kissing the bruised skin. Paige moaned happily as I placed a gentle kiss to each bruise and then continued in between each darkened patch of skin.

"Much better!" Paige approved, leaning in and nuzzling her nose against mine. "Now, let's get up before your mom starts questioning leaving us in a bed together now that I'm moved in." Paige rolled out of bed, reaching her good arm out for me to take her hand and we walked hand in hand down the stairs to the kitchen to greet my mother. I grabbed the bottle of Tylenol from the counter and poured Paige a glass of water, setting them in front of her.

"Morning girls!" My mom greeted happily. "How did you sleep, Paige?"

Paige swallowed a couple of pills and took a swig of water. "Alright. I know I already said this but thanks so much for everything." Paige said earnestly.

"Of course sweetie. Things might get a little…difficult, when it comes to a custody battle but we're not letting you go without a fight" my mom assured her.

"We're not letting you go at all." I added seriously, grasping her hand tightly.

Paige squeezed my hand back, letting me know she understood. "What are my chances, Pam? Of actually getting emancipated?" Paige asked. "I've never really looked into it"

My mom sat down for a moment, thinking through the question. "I think you have a good chance. You have a sound reason for doing so and witnesses of the treatment you've been getting from your father. You've been living alone for a long time so we don't need to worry about proving to the courts that you can live an independent lifestyle. You're 17, so you fall into the right age group. You're going to be 18 soon though. I can say for sure if that will help or hinder your case. I'm going to see if Veronica Hastings can help us out with this. She doesn't usually deal with custody disputes but she's the best lawyer Rosewood has and a very good friend." Paige went to say something but my mom put her hand up. "Advice Paige. You're not going to have to pay for a lawyer."

"Ok." Paige said quietly. "This is actually going to happen then." She looked as though she was trying to process the entire thing.

"Only if you want it to Paige" my mom assured her. "I think our only challenge really will be proving you're financially independent from your parents. Do you have any money to your name that doesn't tie to your parents?"

Paige thought hard for a moment. "A little bit. A couple thousand dollars that I put into savings when I worked in Philly. That's not enough though, is it?"

Pam gently shook her head. "We'll talk to Veronica. I'll give her a call right now and maybe she can meet us today."

Paige and I waited silently as my mom called Veronica. When she came back in the room she had a hopeful smile on her face. "She's on her way, I caught her at a good time. Paige she said you need to think of every little detail that might help her with your case ok?"

15 minutes later Veronica Hastings was at the door. You didn't have to look to hard to see Veronica was a lawyer, from her dark business suit, matching leather briefcase and stylish, yet still business like heels, Spencer's mother looked like she was straight out of a movie.

"Pam, Emily nice to see you two again. It's really been too long." She said politely. She had always seemed so intimidating when I had first met her and it took me a long time to feel relaxed around Spencer's mother. It wasn't until about a year after being Spencer's friend I realized how compassionate and loving Veronica could be. She even pulled me aside when I first came out and told me how brave she thought I was. She told me she was proud of me before my own mother did. I knew that Veronica would help Paige to the best of her abilities whether it be as a lawyer or a friend.

I also knew how intimidated Paige probably felt right now. Lawyers had a way of making everyone a little nervous. "You must be Paige. Spencer has told me about you, nice to finally meet you." She stuck out her hand and Paige shook it, giving her a small smile in return.

"You as well, Mrs. Hastings" she answered politely.

"Veronica" She corrected. "Now, I don't have too much time this morning to let's get down to business." My mom led us to the dining room table, myself sitting by Paige's side while Veronica and my mother sat on the other. Veronica opened up her briefcase and pulled out a few papers, setting them on the table but ignoring them for the time being. "Pam didn't give me too many details but the gist of it was that you need to file for emancipation?" She started.

Paige nodded. "Yeah. I'm seventeen, but I was born in June so it's not really too much longer until I'm 18."

"And you don't think you could bear with it until you turn 18?" Veronica asked. It didn't come across as rude, only a customary question but it irked me that it had to be asked. Paige didn't deserve to 'bear' with anything.

"Absolutely not" My mom answered.

Veronica shook her head. "I need to hear Paige say it, Pam. I need to know that this is necessary and not just a teenager looking for freedom."

Paige cleared her throat. "It needs to happen. I can't live with my father anymore. Not after what happened yesterday."

"And what happened yesterday?" Veronica asked.

"Yesterday, my dad got angry, and things got physical." Paige turned and rolled up her t-shirt, exposing the bruises to Veronica. "He got so mad when I told him I wasn't leaving, I didn't expect him to grab me like that, and he wouldn't let go he just kept pulling and pulling. Emily and I were yelling at him to stop but it wasn't until Pam showed up that he let me go."

Veronica asked a bunch of customary questions about everything that happened to each of us, scribbling down notes almost like we were making a statement.

"I understand Paige, why you may not want to report this to the police, but it could really help your case if you did. I'm not going to pressure you to, I mean, you have two witnesses that can give a good word in court but it's something to think about. The sooner the better though. While the injury is still fresh."

Veronica continued questioning Paige getting into details about her living situation right now and the whole deal with the apartment. Even Veronica dropped her façade when Paige explained how her dad moved her to Rosewood alone for swimming, barely calling and only two visits in nearly 5 months.

"As terrible as that is, that really helps. You don't need to prove you can be independent. You have been for 5 months without incident. It also proves neglect." I was suddenly thankful for Paige's stubbornness about not going to the hospital or the police about anything that had happened to her those past months.

"Before we get into your life when you did live with your father, we need to figure out what we're going to do about your financial situation. A couple thousand dollars isn't enough for you to live independently." Veronica warned her.

"She'll be staying with us" my mother informed her. "She'll be taken care of. Financially." My mother added.

Veronica shook her head sadly. "Unless you legally adopt Paige, that won't matter. She will be technically an adult if she is granted. She needs to show she has the money to sustain herself. Have you considered getting a job Paige? If you have a job it shouldn't be an issue"

Paige nodded. "I can do that. The Brew is hiring I'll put a resume in today"

"Perfect." Veronica said. "Now, can we talk about your family life before the move to Rosewood. The more I know, the better details we can focus on when it comes down to the affidavit." Veronica explained.

Paige sighed, looking down at the table. "I guess so." She mumbled. "Can we talk, umm, alone though?" She gave my mother and I an apologetic look. It hurt a little that Paige didn't want me to hear what she had to say but I tried my best to be understanding for her. "It's not that I don't want you guys to know, it's just hard to talk about for me. Especially to a family that has everything I wished I did as a child." Paige explained.

"No need to explain honey" My mom said, standing up and coming to rest a hand on her shoulder. "You do what you need to make yourself feel comfortable right now and we can always talk about it later." She gave Paige a kiss on the cheek and looked at me expectantly. I stood up, doing the same and placing a lingering kiss on Paige's cheek.

"When you're ready" I whispered, not needing to finish the sentence for her to understand. I walked into the living room with my mother and sat, waiting for Paige and Veronica to be finished.

**Paige's POV-**

Overwhelmed. That's how it felt thinking about the fact that I could possibly be considered a legal adult in just a couple of weeks. Describing everything to Veronica so far had been tough, but going back to the times where my father had pushed me, and to the place where my mother would always take his side was hard. It wasn't that I was trying to hide it from Pam and Emily, it was just easier to keep my emotions in check while explaining it without their reactions breaking my heart.

I explained everything to Veronica, starting from my father's absence in my early years all the way up to the move. How I was never good enough, how hard he pushed me in swimming, the things he had said to me that I never wanted to repeat. I nearly cried when I explained that I couldn't remember hearing an 'I love you' from him ever.

"You don't have to talk about it anymore if you don't want to Paige" Veronica stopped me. She was looking at me with a soft expression, almost as if she felt genuinely sorry for me. "You've told me more than enough."

"My mother though" I continued. "She loved me. When my father first began pushing me, she was kind of a barrier between us, always warning him not to go too far. I don't know exactly when that stopped but before I knew it she was always taking his side, defending him instead of me. At some point, she started to love him more than she loved me I guess" Tears were brimming under my eyes and I hastily wiped them away. "She'll take his side in all of this" I said surely. "Even when she hears about what happened yesterday, she'll find a way to defend him. Say it was my fault for challenging him" I explained.

"And if she doesn't?" Veronica asked. "What if your mom decides enough is enough and wants to help you?"

"I don't want her help." I said flatly. "She's let me down time and time again when it comes to my dad. Why should this time be any different?"

Veronica nodded understandingly at me. "Alright then." She pushed a few papers towards me. "These are the basic documents you're going to need to fill out. The first," she handed me a piece of paper. "is your affidavit, describing the reasons why you're petitioning for emancipation. Basically, it would be best if you made it as detailed as possible, but from everything you've told me, I think these would be the best points to focus on" She gave me the notepad she had been writing on during my explanation. The key points were the incident yesterday, being forced to move without direct care and being forced to live independently, and the treatment received while living with my parents. "This part will be your strongest. Paige I want to tell you that you have a very good reason to be petitioning for this." She handed me another piece of paper. "This is the difficult part for you, and most other people who file for emancipation. The financial statement. I strongly suggest you include a statement of employment as well, so try and lock down a job as soon as possible." I nodded in agreement. "We can write something, a little side note that you do have trustworthy people willing to lend you money if you should ever need it, along with a statement from Pam. I'm not sure how much it will help, but it can't hurt to include that." I kept nodding, taking all of the information in. "The last thing you'll need is a witness per say. Someone that can vouch for you that knows you personally, that can identify that emancipation is indeed in your best interest. This part is extremely important. You need to make sure you choose the right person."

My thoughts immediately went to Emily's mother. "Pam?" I asked.

"Pam would be good. But she may be too involved to be considered. She cares about you, that's for sure, but she is also a part of what happened yesterday. We'll get one from her but is there anyone else you can think of that would support you in this? An adult that has watched over you and knows how hard it's been?"

I thought about that for a moment. Kelly's parents would more than likely help but Kelly's mother was close with my mom, I didn't want to risk the opposite effect. Wren would also be a good option, but that would leave the question of why the incidents of my injuries were never reported, leaving me looking bad and could possibly get him in trouble with the hospital. That left only one person. One adult I felt I could trust aside from Pam that had witnessed everything I'd dealt with.

"Coach Fulton." I said.

Veronica nodded. "Good. You and I can go together if you're not comfortable asking her alone" She offered.

"I think I'll be ok" I answered. "But maybe I'll give her your number in case she has any questions, if that's alright with you of course"

"Absolutely." Veronica said. She looked down at her wrist watch. "I need to be going now. But get your resume in at The Brew and start getting these papers done. The sooner the better Paige, before your parents make an issue of everything. Like I said before, I strongly suggest you go to the police about what happened yesterday. Whether or not you're filing for emancipation, the fact that your father did that was wrong and he should be punished for it. Think about it." She stood up, and I stood with her.

"Thank you." I said, reaching out to shake her hand again. "I'm not sure if I could really do this on my own. Thanks for your help."

"If your parents fight it, you're going to have me on your side" She said, looked at me softly. "I've been friends with Pam for a long time, and just from meeting you today I can see why she wants to support you. I'll support you too."

I gave up, opening my arms and engulfing the tough, Hastings lawyer in a hug. She laughed a little, returning the hug before I pulled away and smiled apologetically. I walked her to the door, meeting Pam and Emily in the living room. I smiled at the both of them, approaching Emily and putting an arm around her waist.

"She has everything she needs. I'm sure she'll explain it all to you and you three can work together to start the process. Call me if you have any questions" With that, Veronica left, leaving me with a lot of work to do in the next week.

I explained everything I had to do with Pam and Emily, who agreed to support me through it all. We wasted no time, Pam starting her statement and me starting my own while Emily worked on improving my resume. She even helped me write my cover letter for The Brew. After writing and proofreading all day, I allowed myself to take a break in the late afternoon to drop off my resume. Pam drove the three of us to The Brew, but I went in alone to drop of the resume. The manager wasn't in, but the friendly teen at the counter promised to pass it on, giving me a wink and saying the job was probably mine. I chatted with her for a few minutes, deciding a bit of charm to the nice employee wouldn't hurt, especially if she could put in a good word for me. I left the Brew, deciding my next destination was inevitable. Veronica had said something before she left about my parents fighting the petition. She was right, my father wouldn't give in to anything and I needed to use everything in order to win.

I went back to the car, pushing away my fears and readying myself for the next challenge. "Pam?" I asked.

"What's up sweetie?" She said as she started the car.

"Do you think we could swing by the police station? I need to report what happened yesterday."

* * *

**Not a cliffhanger! Don't you dare call it a cliffhanger. **


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N- Ok so I didn't update as quick as I thought. I'm really sorry! Anyways here is the next chapter and hopefully you like it. One more chapter after this one (you might be able to talk me into two) and that's all she wrote. Well not actually. I'm working on another story so hopefully some of you will read that one as well. Sorry for the awful mistakes in this chapter. There are a lot of them. **

**Thanks to everyone who reviews :) and I'm not going to torment EndWorldPeas this time because I hurt her feelings before. Oops. **

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**Paige's POV-**

I was emotionally exhausted after taking my statement at the Rosewood Police Department. Emily and Pam had stood by my side entirely, making statements of their own. Pam even signed a waver placing me in her care temporarily. It was a long process, most of which I didn't understand. The gist of it was that for right now my father wasn't allowed near me and until the police processed all of the details of what happened. In the mean time, I was working on my petition for emancipation as fast as possible so I didn't end up in the care of someone else.

Emily was nothing but supportive, and when we got back to the Fields, she guided me quickly up the stairs, set out a pair of pajamas for me and pulled me into bed, curling up with me without so much as a word. It was exactly what I needed. Her mom brought us takeout at some point, but other than that it was a quite night. We chatted a little about school tomorrow and said our goodnights.

The next day had gone by in a blur. I had pretty much completed my petition for emancipation from all of the work the day before, and now all I had needed was a letter from Coach Fulton and from my employer.

"Are you going to go see Fulton?" Emily asked as we were walking to her car after school. She gave me a confused look. "You said you were going to ask her today about the.. you know…" Emily trailed off. The fact that Emily was a little afraid to talk about the entire situation hadn't gone over my head, but I knew she was just nervous more than anything.

I shook my head. "I'm not ready yet anyways, I'll just talk to her tomorrow. I'll plan out what I'm going to say to her tonight, maybe you can help?" I asked.

"The sooner the better Paige" Emily sighed. "The more you put this off—"

"Emily" I warned, not wanting to get into it with her over the entire thing.

She looked at me apologetically, taking a breath to compose herself before linking her arm around mind and smiling. "Sure. We can do that tonight." She agreed.

I heard Emily's phone ringing the tone she had set for her mother.

"Hey mom!" Emily spoke into the phone. Her face quickly dropped when she heard whatever her mother had said. "Oh course we're on our way, where else would we be going?" I tried to listen to the conversation but I could only hear Emily's side. "Ok, no stops, we'll be straight home. We're not in trouble or something are we?" Emily tried to joke, but her facial expression quickly fell and I was starting to believe that maybe we were in trouble. "Ok. By mom"

Emily gave me a look of concern and picked up the pace towards her car. "My mom wants us home right now. She said its urgent"

"It's not your…"

"No." Emily interrupted. "Dad's fine. She just said we had company and she wanted us home right away. She sounded pretty tense though. Maybe she wants us to save her from my great aunt Ruth or something." Emily contemplated.

The drive home was quick and Emily was practically sprinting to the doorway. I followed behind her, trying to keep up without breaking into a run. I couldn't for the life of me figure out why she was so freaked out by her mom wanting us home. Sure, usually her mom was pretty relaxed about us being out but perhaps with everything going on with my father she just wanted us home.

By the time I reached the doorway Emily had already gone inside and was heading to the living room, where I could hear Pam's quiet voice speaking to someone.

I stopped dead in my tracks behind Emily at the sight of the person who was sitting on the fields couch next to Pam. Emily's mouth was slightly open as she took in the short auburn hair and the deep brown eyes, no doubt seeing the resemblance. Her brow quickly furrowed in anger, and I imagined Emily and I's facial expressions were looking similar at this moment.

I stepped in front of Emily, walking in the living room to face my mother. She looked warn out, concerned, upset, guilty. Aged. I hadn't seen her in a few months but she looked years older, and I felt like we had been years apart. Seeing her concerned, apologetic face only made me even more pissed off. What was she doing in the Fields house. Why the hell was she even in Rosewood. Was my father about to come around the corner and force me to go back to Philly with them?

"What are you going here?" I asked coldly, not bothering to make eye contact with her.

I felt my mothers eyes burning into mine but I refused to make contact. "Kelly told me where to go. Well, the sweetheart gave me a ride actually." She said softly. _What the actual hell?_ "Pam was kind enough to let me in." In perfect synchronization Emily and I shot Pam an accusing look before I whipped back and looked at my mom.

"That doesn't explain why" I said impatiently. "If you're trying to get me to come home there's no way in hell."

"That's not why she's here" Pam interrupted. "I made sure of it. You're father is still in Philadelphia." She added, much to my relief. I was still confused as to why my mother decided to show up here at all.

"Why?" I asked again, raising my cracking voice. I didn't want to see these people again, and now two visits not two days apart?

"The police stopped by" My mother answered. "Served your father a notice that he was to stay away from you until a pending investigation was over." She explained.

"Well thanks for the heads up" I mumbled sarcastically.

My mom looked down. "You know, when he came home all pissed off the other night I should have figured something happened. He only told me that he decided it was best you stay in Rosewood and that was that."

Emily snarked out a laugh and glared at my mom. "_decided?_" She sneered.

"Emily!" Pam warned. "Let's let Beth explain herself please"

"Mom!" Emily fired back. "How could you let this woman into our house? After she caused so much pain in Paige's life!"

"Maybe my daughter and I should let you and Paige talk" Pam offered.

"No!" I said quickly, grasping for Emily's hand. "I don't want to be left alone with her" I jabbed my finger towards my mother, who shrunk back into the couch.

"Paige, I would never hurt you. You're my daughter and I'm so sorry." The words sounded sincear but my mind was still trying to wrap around the fact that she was here at all. I saw the tears in my mothers eyes. "When I confronted Nick, when I asked him why the police said he couldn't be near you he lost it. He said it was a misunderstanding, and at first I believed him. It's always been so much easier to believe him. When I asked him what the misunderstanding was about he finally told me about your girlfriend and her mother. But he said that they were terrible influences. When I began asking questions about why he didn't tell me months ago he flipped out." My moms tears started falling but I couldn't bring myself to believe her sincerity just yet. "That's when Kelly showed up. I guess Emily called her and explained what happened. She told me what really happened and Paige I'm—" She chocked up and let out a sob. "I left him Paige. I'm not going back now. Kelly told me how great your life in Rosewood has been thanks to these two ladies. I can see why." She smiled.

The fact that she was just leaving him now only angered me more. It was an insult to me. "So all it took was a _fucking_ police report to get out to leave him?" I asked incredulously. "Not all the times he swore at me, told me I was useless, told me I wasn't good enough? No, you had to let it get physical before you felt the need to _do something?! _Your own daughter mom! Your own daughter and you picked him over me! A guy that wasn't even around when I was born. Someone incabable of love, yet you loved him more than you love me!" I had never shouted at my mother before. All of my anger had always been directed at my father.

"Paige, I don't know how to apoligize for everything that you've been through over the years. But I'm here now, and I want us to be a family again. Just the two of us. I turned a blind eye to the way Nick treated you and I'm _so _sorry" She brushed the steady flow of tears from her pale skin. "Yes, the police was what it took for me to _wake up_. It struck something in me. Paige you've always been amazing to me and I'm sorry I let your father make you believe I thought any less of you. Please Paige, just say you can forgive me. Tell me we can be a family again." She looked at me and I finally made eye contact with her, seeing the heartfelt apology in her expressive eyes.

"I dunno if I can mom. These people" I gestured to Pam and Emily. "Have shown me more love and decency than I ever thought possible. I'm not ready to leave that and take a chance on you. As awful as that sounds I just can't. Rosewood is my new home."

"Let me prove it to you" My mom begged. "Paige I failed you as a mother but I want to make it up to you. For real this time. I left him. I left everything except my personal belongings and I have no intentions of ever going back. I have money Paige, the apartment is in my name and I want to stick around in Rosewood. I'll find a job here. You can stay with the Fields until you feel you can trust me again. However long it takes Paige, even if it never happens. I just want to be a part of your life again."

I didn't know what to say, I just looked at the three concerned faces in the room, resting on Emily's beautifully afraid face for a moment longer.

"It's up to you Paige." My mom grabbed my attention again. "If you'd rather me stay away from Rosewood, I can do that too" The pleading look that came with the suggestion only made me feel worse. I didn't want to see my mom leave. But I didn't want to get my hopes up only for her to crush me by going back to my father.

I didn't know how I had managed to handle everything so well. Just like that, my mother was promising me a family of my own again. It was all I had ever hoped since my father had let me down over the years. Finally, no matter how shitty the circumstances were, my mother had left him, realizing that neither one of us deserved that. Even better, she was swearing she was going to fight to prove she loved me, and that she wasn't going anywhere. How could someone not take that chance, when it's something you've secretly been dreaming of since childhood? I knew I owed my mother nothing, I could tell her to never speak to me again and it would be justified. But I also knew how difficult it was to stand up to my father. It was going to be hard. On one hand, my heart just wanted to forgive my mother for everything that had occurred up to this point, just let her hold me in her arms while I cried over how awful dad had been. My stubborn, McCullers brain was still fighting it though. I was afraid to completely trust her at all. I was so afraid for the moment that I let myself be happy with my family again just to have the rug torn out underneath me. False hope. I had felt the gut wrenching feeling too many times to bear it again. How well could I trust someone who let a man spilt us into damaged pieces? It was settled. Dinner was a fine place to start. Especially when I had my safety net of Pam and Emily by my side.

I nodded. "Can we take it slow?" I finally spoke. "Maybe start with dinner?" I asked hoarsely. I looked at Pam pleadingly, hoping she was alright with another guest for dinner.

"Of course" She said cheerily. "We'd love to have you Beth. I'd like to get to know you a little better anyways." Pam wandered off to the kitchen, most likely to start dinner or order in.

My mom thanked her before looking at me. The question in her eyes was obvious, "Stay in Rosewood. I don't think its safe for us to be in Philly anymore" I whispered.

My mother made like she was going to come and hug me, but thought better of it (much to my relief) and offered a small touch to my shoulder instead. I noticed Emily tense out of the corner of my eye, but I squeezed her hand a little tighter, letting her know I was alright.

"Uh—mom." I cringed a little at calling her that out loud for the first time tonight. Would she have picked up on my awkwardness? "This is Emily, my girlfriend." How she reacted to Emily would be observation number one. "Em, this is my mom, Beth"

Normally, I'd imagine that Emily would be completely charming and sweep my mother off her feet. But given the situation, all Emily offered was a tight smile and a quiet 'hello'. But it wasn't Emily's actions I cared about in this situation.

My mother smiled widely at Emily, and the look in her eyes told me it was genuine. "Kelly told me all about you. Well, you two know how she talks." She joked, earning a smile from me. She was always fond of Kelly. "It's so nice to meet you Emily. I'm glad you're making my daughter so happy." I let out a breath.

"Well one of us has to" Emily mumbled, too quiet for my mother to hear. I rolled my eyes and Emily finally responded to my mother. "Just don't let her down. I won't let you get away with it." Emily turned for the kitchen, tugging me with her and I shot my mom a apathetic look. I couldn't really apoligize for Emily because I wasn't actually sorry. I could tell it terrified my mother because she didn't want to say anything to Emily to upset me and that made me feel good. From what I could see, my mother actually really liked Emily and Pam. Or was at least making an outstanding effort to make me believe so. _Ugh. Stop being so bitter!_

It was a little awkward, but Pam did her best to make my mother feel welcome. Asking her simple questions while she cooked such as what did she do for a living, how did she like Rosewood so far, where did she grow up, and the usual small talk. I let myself picture, somewhere deep in the future that these two could actually get along very well, most likely even become friends. I shook that thought out of my head quickly though. _False hope, Paige. False hope._

Pam made one of her amazing pasta dishes and we all sat down, munching down Pam's delicious home cooked dinner. It was mostly quiet, occasionally Pam would ask a question to me or my mother, or my mother would ask a question to one of us. Emily remained completely isolated, not saying anything, not even looking up from her plate. I would need to talk to her alone after to make sure she knew that I was doing just fine.

"So Emily" my mom started, trying to engage my girlfriend in conversation. "You're a swimmer too then?"

Emily nodded, not saying a word nor looking up from her food. Pam must has nudged her under the table because she shot up, shooting her mother a dirty look before looking at mine. "Yes. At Rosewood. With Paige." Her answer was short, but I was just happy she strung together more than one word.

"That's great. So you're looking to go to college on a scholarship as well?" My mom asked politely.

Emily nodded. "Hope so." Emily lightened up a little, a touch of a smile hitting her beautiful face. "That is if Paige doesn't beat me to all of them" She smirked and I grinned at her.

"She is a fast one" My mother agreed. Maybe the first dinner wasn't going to be as awkward as I thought. It seemed like Emily was putting in a bit of effort. "Is that where you two met? How you two… started?" She asked.

"Dating? No we met before that. In the bathroom actually" I joked, remembering the first time I had spoken to Emily.

"And look at you now" my mom remarked. "School though? Everyone is accepting of you guys? Girls!" my mom awkwardly corrected.

"Uh.. we're pretty normal mom" I said, trying to lighten the mood. "And everyone is very accepting, we have really supportive friends."

"Oh?" my mother sounded shocked. "Good." She still had not picked up on the awkward silence at her unintentionally offending words. "I just thought it might be hard being different. When something isn't normal, people can be pretty harsh."

Normal? That stung. I knew it was still an adjustment for my mom, and she hadn't meant anything by it but it still hurt that she wasn't completely accepting of it.

All three of us stared at my mother open mouthed. I knew it was accidental, but I couldn't believe she had actually said that out loud.

Apparently, Emily couldn't either. Emily stood up, roughly pushing her chair back from the table and glowered down at my mother. "How dare you!" Emily accused. " Not Normal? You know what isn't normal? A mother neglecting her _child_ for years! I can't believe you! You're no better than _him_!" Emily was fuming now, clearly getting more fired up as she went on. "Why Paige thinks you deserve a chance is far beyond me! She's so special, _Beth_. But how would you know, you've never been around to see it! Do you even know what her favorite meal is? Or her favorite subject? Do you know that when she's upset she likes to close herself off, because she's to selfless to want to burden anyone else with her sadness?" Emily looked at my mom expectantly, but she was speechless. "You can't know these things because you never cared to try in the first place. Paige is the most incredible person I've ever met and you made her feel flawed, not good enough. It's your fault too you know! You could have stopped it all. But now my girl hurts, even if she won't admit it, I know." Emily was in sobs now. "It's your fault too. You don't deserve Paige."

"Em" I whispered, trying to stop her from upsetting herself more. I reached for her but she turned and bolted up the stairs before I had a grip on her.

I looked at my mother who was just staring forward. She hadn't been expecting that from her off color comment and I was pretty sure she was trying to figure out what she'd done to set Emily off. I sighed, looking at Pam who was looking at me empathetically. I shrugged my shoulders, letting her know the comment hadn't upset me as much as it hurt Emily.

"May I be excused, Pam?" I asked politely.

Pam smiled endearingly at me. "Yes, dear" I stood up, rushing up the stairs to find Emily and calm her down. I would be lying if I said her fiercely protective side wasn't a bit of a turn on for me but I imagined she was very emotional right now, so I would save the teasing for later.

I knocked on her door softly, trying the knob and sighing happily that it was unlocked. "Em?" I called softly as I opened the door. She was on her bed, face down with her head buried in a feather pillow. I couldn't hear her sobs but I saw her body shaking. "Em it's just me. I'm not upset ok?" I wanted her to understand that before anything else. "Can I come in?" I asked. I didn't get a response so I approached the bed and placed my hand on her back. I rubbed soothing circles on her lower back, and the shaking began to stop. "Look at me, babe" I pleaded.

"Why are you letting her in your life again Paige!" She finally spoke. I opened my mouth to explain but she talked over me. "How can you let her do that! She should have protected you like a mother and she didn't!"

"Emily it's not that simple" I started.

"You're damn right its that simple! You have _us _now. We've loved and supported you from the beginning Paige. I don't trust her. I don't want to see you be hurt again!"

"I _want _to give her a chance Emily. It's for me. I want to have a family again." Emily turned and looked at me finally, and I saw the fresh hurt in her eyes along with new tears beginning to fall. I cupped her face, wiping her tears away.

"That's not what I meant, love. You and your mother are the best family anyone could ever have. But my mother, she's my mother Em. Doesn't she deserve a chance?"

"You don't get it!" Emily flailed her arms, pulling away from me and sat up on the bed. "She _had _her chance Paige. And I didn't like the result of that! Look at how hurt you were. I don't wanna see you go through that again. I couldn't let her get away with that! No one is allowed to hurt you." Emily turned her back, clearly livid again. "Who is she to just walk back into your life like nothing ever happened?"

I braced myself for the low blow I was about to hit Emily with. "I gave you a second chance" I whispered. Emily's breathing hitched and she looked at me with a mix of guilt and utter pain. "Maybe it wasn't exactly the same, but I couldn't imagine what would have happened if I didn't give you another chance." I gripped Emily's hand, and she linked her fingers though mine. "It was the best damn choice I've ever made. What if it's the same with her? What if I can have it all finally?"

"I'm sorry" Emily whispered. My words had put her in a fit of guilty sobs but my point had gotten across to her.

"Nothing to be sorry for." I assured her. "_I'm _sorry, for bringing that up. You know I love you more than anyone right?" Emily stiffly nodded her head. I pressed a kiss to her temple and she threw her arms around me in a tight hug. "Emily I need you here with me." I begged. "I don't think I can do this without you" It was true. I really needed Emily's support. I felt myself weakening in Emily's arms, relying on her to hold me up more now.

"You've got me." Emily assured. "You're mom seems like she's trying." Emily admitted. "I just don't trust her with you yet. It feels like I just got you back, I don't want anyone stealing you away from me" She teased. I started to laugh but I noticed Emily chewing her lip self consciously. I leaned over and kissed her to stop the action, earning a sheepish smile from Emily. "Really, I don't want to lose you so soon."

I poked her nose and laughed loudly at her. "Emily Fields. Do you really think you'd ever lose me? That's not like a real question is it?"

Emily nodded, burying her face in my chest like an embarrassed child. Completely endearing. I brushed her hair away from her ear, placing a soft kiss to her lobe before whispering, "I don't care who you're comparing yourself to in the world, no matter what, _you_ come first. No matter what happens. I'd put you before anyone."

Emily's lips were on mine not a second after I finished. "I love you" she whispered, not giving me a chance to respond before latching her lips to mine and pushing her tongue with mine, beginning the familiar dance that we'd perfected. We made out for a good ten minutes before things got pretty heated. "As much as I'd love to just stay up here for the rest of the night" I panted, "I think we should head downstairs before your mom decides to check on us."

Emily groaned loudly but pulled her body off of me, reaching for my hand and pulling me from the bed. She giggle and straightened my bed-head before looking in the mirror and doing the same to herself. We waited a few more moments so we didn't look so flushed before I took her hand and made my way back downstairs to deal with what happened.

I pulled Emily to a stop halfway down, hearing my mother and Pam's voices in the living room.

"I'm serious, Beth. I'm all for you trying to make it up to Paige, but if you do _anything _to hurt that girl, you're going to answer to me. And if you think my daughter was angry you're in for a whole new world." Pam threatened. I grinned at the love reflected in the threat of a Fields.

"I understand. I don't want to hurt Paige. I know I have a lot to learn and a lot to make up for. Thank you for being a parent to Paige when I… wasn't"

"If you don't mind me asking, how did it get that bad in the first place? I know Mr. McCullers wasn't around when Paige was born but how did he come back and take over? How did you like a daughter like Paige be treated like that? It couldn't have been intentional?" Pam hinted. It wasn't an accusation, more of a probing question that I hoped my mother could answer for us both.

My mother sighed. "You don't understand the pressure of being a McCullers. Nick was one a great husband, the kind you fall in love with. But when he founded the company, he started to get a chip on his shoulder. The success and power got to him I suppose, changed him. When he came back to Philly to be with Paige and I, he wasn't the man I married. Every time I tried to bring it up he pressured me to keep up appearances for him. Bad media, he told me, would destroy everything he had built. He guilted me into staying, and then I was so foolish to let myself believe we still loved each other. Nothing was ever good enough, but as Paige grew up, he took it out on her more than me." There was a slight pause. "And I feel awful now, because I let it happen. I never thought…" I could hear the tears through my mom's voice. "When he moved her to Rosewood, the treatment fell back on me. But like with Paige I just let it happen after a while. Because standing up to Nick McCullers doesn't end well if you have to face him the next day. I've seen his cut throat way too many times!" My mom broke down in sobs. I could only picture the worst at what my mom had dealt with once I'd left. I'd always assumed my dad just found a new hobby after I was gone, but apparently he had just fixated on my mother instead.

I ran down the rest of the stairs straight into the living room, pulling my mother from Pam's arms into mine. "Paige I'm so sorry!" She cried. I'd never seen my mom this hysterical. Today had been too emotional for her.

"No mom. You don't need to be, its fine, we're fine now." I held her for a while until we'd both calmed down. Emily sat quietly at my side but when I looked at her, instead of anger she was quite relaxed.

"Beth?" Emily asked. My mom looked at her. "Can we start over? We've all been through a lot tonight and I'd like to start fresh."

"I'd like that to, Emily." She smiled softly at my girlfriend.

Pam came back in after getting off the phone with Wayne, asking my mom if she wanted a drive back to the apartment for the night. She agreed, standing up and then I remembered someone very important.

"Where the hell is Kelly?" I asked.

Pam and my mom both chuckled. "Hanna." Pam explained and I laughed and nodded in understanding.

"She said she'd stop by here later, before she goes back home." My mom added.

I walked my mom to the door, giving her a hug and a kiss on the cheek goodbye. "I'll see you tomorrow?" I asked hopefully.

She smiled "Of course, dear."

Emily and I settled down on the couch after they left. Cuddling and watching TV. "So you called Kelly huh?" I asked.

"Was that wrong of me? I knew you wouldn't but she needed to know. I guess she knew exactly how to handle it." Emily offered.

"It was completely right of you" I disagreed. "But I'm going to be in a lot of trouble from her now." I joked.

"Well hopefully Hanna didn't get her even more riled up." Emily added.

"A lot is going to change now" I whispered.

Emily grinned at me, a hopeful look in her eyes. "For the better though. I think a lot is going to change for the better."

It had been three weeks since my mom surprised me in Rosewood. Three weeks that had given my time to reconnect with the woman who I never thought I'd see again. It had been awkward at first, sometimes we just didn't know what to say to each other but soon enough the silence was comfortable between us. I landed the job at the Brew, deciding that even if I didn't file for emancipation it would be best to secure my own job and save for college in the case that I didn't get a scholarship. I wasn't going to assume my mother had enough money for me to go away this coming year. She'd had a job in Philly but she'd apparently given that up when she left, wanting to commit to staying in Rosewood. Philly wasn't somewhere she wanted to be anymore, I guessed the memories were too much. She'd come to The Brew while I was working considering we didn't have a lot of time to be together between school and my job. But everytime we were together we were growing closer. I no longer felt awkard calling her 'mom' and she was finally asking me questions about how Emily and I met and how long it had been since I accepted I was gay. She said she was proud of me for finding someone like Emily, insisting that she could see how happy we made each other. It felt amazing to have her support. Emily and her had also grown a little closer, my girlfriend warming up to my mother, even starting conversations with her from time to time. It was ironic, I figured Emily would always have to work to please my parents but in actuality, my mother was trying her best to gain Emily's approval. My mother seemed to be doing well on her own in the appartment. We'd talk about my father from time to time, but he wasn't our concern anymore and I was finally seeing that she had put him in the past. she loved Rosewood, spending much of her free time while I was at school wondering the downtown, buying random things and decorating the apartment to her standards.

Finally, after seeing how cluttered she made the little place with random trinkets I'd had enough. "Mom, get a job." I said. "You need to get a job.

She look at me and laughed loudly. "Honey, aren't I supposed to be the one telling you that?" She remarked.

"I have a job" I shot back. "Really, you're starting to look like a hoarder with all of the crap you've bought in your free time. You need to find a job here."

My mom smiled. "So you want me to stay then?" She asked.

I nodded. "I don't want you to go anywhere else" I said, still unable to completely tell her I WANTED her in Rosewood.

My mom smiled widely at me. "I have a job" she said before returning to her cooking without an explanation.

"Yeah supporting locally owned stores in Rosewood is hardly a job mom" I joked.

My mom rolled her eyes. "I have a real job. Had my interview today and they already called me back. I guess I'm just too good to pass up. Or they really needed somebody." She relented.

I stared at her, waiting for a better explanation. "I didn't want to tell you until I got it. Pam put my name in at the crown attorneys office in Rosewood. She had a connection from being at the police station and I guess one of there secretaries quit. Its a good job, not much different than my one in Philly. Only now I'm here, with you."

I got up and hugged her, not really knowing how else to react. "Congratz mom. I'm really happy you got something permanent."

"Well I owe Pam big time, that lady is a saint."

"She's amazing" I agreed.

My mom pulled me back, looking at me seriously for a moment. "You want this right? Its not too soon?"

"I want this" I agreed. "I want us to be a family again."

She smiled. "You're right about this apartment though. I need something more permanent. I'm meeting with a realtor tomorrow. Do you maybe want to take the day off school and come with me?" She asked. "Maybe we could find something that works for the both of us" the look on my face must have scared my mother. "For when you're ready, of course. No pressure Paige" she said quickly.

"No, mom I'd like that!" I interjected, breaking through my momentary shock.

My mom smiled that same wide smile whenever I said something positive about our future.

"Perfect. You're playing hookie tomorrow then"

"Ugh! You shouldn't be supporting that you know. I'm supposed to be keeping my grades up so I can swim, so I can get a scholarship and go to college!" I groaned, letting the stresses of a senior be known.

My mom gave me a gentle smile and a squeeze to my hand. "Paige you don't need to worry so much, it only makes things harder. You know I'm proud of you, scholarship or not"

"Thanks" I said emotionally. "But if I want to afford college I'm going to need the scholarship" I groaned.

She looked at me perplexedly, slowly shaking her head. "No you don't"

"Uh, mom, I don't know if you've noticed but I'm kind of broke" I pointed out.

My mom kept shaking her head. "I've got it covered" my mom informed me.

"I can't let you do that mom. I know leaving dad has left you in a bit of a financial problem, I refuse to take any of your money" I insisted.

"Paige the money is already set aside for you. Its been set aside since you were born. From me, not your father. He actually never knew about the account. This is all your money. I wanted to make sure, no matter what you could do whatever you wanted after high school, so I set aside a chunk of money after my parents died, to be completely yours. The money is yours Paige. You can go to college." She assured.

I teared up immediately, falling into my mother's arms. She had saved money since I was a kid, she made sure that no matter what happened, I would be comfortable. It was like she'd set up a safety net for me, a 'just in case' and it proved she would support me.

"Mom" I whispered. "Thank you. So much"

"I love you Paige. Whatever you decide, I want you to know that I love you and I'd help you through anything. I wanted the best for you. And whatever that may be, it's up to you."

"Can I sleep here tonight?" I asked suddenly. "I'd really like to stay here with you"

My mother's smile was beaming now. "Of course, I'll put some sheets on the couch, why don't you call Pam?"

I called Pam and let her know I would be staying at the apartment before asking her to let me talk to Emily. I told Emily everything, gushing about how happy I was with my mother and how shocked I was to find that I would be alright, no matter what happened with the scholarships.

"See, I told you everything would change for the better. Hey! Why don't you invite Kelly down for dinner tomorrow night, we haven't seen her since for a few weeks and I'll invite the girls and we can all have a big dinner at my house. Celebrate your moms new job?"

"I'd love that" I agreed. "Thanks Em, I love you, see you tomorrow"

I got off the phone, seeing my mom staring at me with a smile. "You really love her don't you?" My mom asked, although it was more of a statement than anything. I smirked and nodded happily.

"So what's the plan for tonight?" I asked. We spend the rest of the night watching Disney movies, laughing at the parts that I loved when I was a child. I hadn't expected things to get so great with my mom so soon. Things were finally working out, and Emily was right, things were really changing in a good way.


	27. Chapter 27

**This is it, the final chapter :) Enjoy. **

**Emily's POV- **

"Em, are you seriously freaking out about what to wear?" Aria wondered. Spencer, Aria and I were in my room, going through my closet trying to decide what would be the best outfit for me to wear tonight. They weren't being much help. _Hurry up Hanna!_

"I just want to look _good_" I explained.

Aria and Spencer rolled their eyes simultaneously. "You always look good, Emily. Just put on a skirt or something." Spencer implored.

I huffed, sticking my hand up in front of her. "Where is Hanna when you need her?" I complained. The blond fashion guru was supposed to be here 20 minutes ago.

As if on cue, Hanna came strutting through my bedroom door. "You say you 'needed' me?" Hanna gushed. "Finally you admit it Emily!" She called. Maybe I shouldn't have spoken to soon. "Don't worry, I won't tell Paige, I know how protective she can be of you"

I grinned, trying to keep from telling Hanna to shut it so she would help me. "What should I wear tonight? I want to look nice"

Of course, upstaging Hanna was going to be impossible. I didn't have anything in my closet to compare to the sophisticated skirt and blouse she was wearing. The girl could pair anything together and look like she'd just come off the runway. Hanna smirked, "Give me a sec" She turned and bolted for a my closet. Rummaging through everything I owned in seconds.

"Quick go shut the door on her!" Spencer called, earning a snicker from Aria.

Hanna popped out momentarily to flip Spencer off before returning to her task. A few moments later and Hanna came out holding a simple pale blue strapless sun dress with a thin leather belt around the waist. I'd remembered buying it years ago but never finding a use for the casual dress. Of course it required Hanna to find the perfect time to use it. "I wasn't sure if you were dressing up for Paige or her mom so I found something that would work for both. It's modest, but still revealing enough to drive Paige wild. Easy access too. Even better if you don't wear underwear" Hanna informed us, as a matter-of-factly.

"Hanna!" Spencer and Aria groaned. I just nodded, ignoring the last comment and taking the dress eagerly from her hands.

"Get dressed and me and Aria can do your hair" Hanna ordered. "Spencer, you can just read a book or something."

Spencer shot her the famous Hastings death glare. "Hanna, have you ever been thrown out of a second story window?" She asked calmly.

I tuned out their bickering as I got into the strapless blue dress. I did a quick mirror check, although with Hanna's expertise I'm not sure why. Hanna and Aria didn't spend too much time 'doing me up', simply fixing the natural waves in my hair and pinning a few pieces back so my face was more open.

"This is good practice" Hanna remarked as she added the finishing touch of a white flower clip by my temple.

"For what?" Spencer asked curiously.

Hanna grinned happily, now addressing all of us as we waited for her response. "That internship for that clothing line in New York, I got an early acceptance. I'm in. I'm going to New York this summer!" She squealed. She started doing a little happy dance and the three of us rushed to hug her, saying our congratulations.

"You silly girl! Why didn't you tell us when you first got here?" Aria wondered.

Hanna huffed and rolled her eyes. "Dramatics. I was waiting for the perfect moment." She answered. We all groaned at her. Typical Hanna. "I don't have too many details yet, but I'll let you know more once I know" Hanna assured. "Hey, Spencer, did you ever expect _me_ to get an early acceptance? You must be gushing with pride?" She teased.

Spencer smiled proudly. "I didn't expect any less Hanna, New York is probably already setting up for Hanzilla's arrival."

We spent the rest of the late afternoon talking about Hanna's plans for New York and the rest of our respective schools.

Paige and I had applied to a couple of the same schools by chance. For me, it really didn't matter about the school anymore though. I wanted to be where Paige was, swimming next to her for the rest of my life. I knew that I wasn't _supposed_ to be focusing on her, and instead looking for the perfect fit for me, but Paige was my perfect fit, and being with my dream girl sounded a heck of a lot better than being at a dream school. I remembered when the counsellors told us, "find the place you can picture yourself". That advice was helpful, but I never found myself picturing one certain school. I could picture myself, with an arm wrapped around Paige's waist as first arrived at our new home. I could see her carrying the boxes up to our dorm room, pushing the twin beds together so I could sleep in her arms every night. I could picture us fighting when the stress of school got to the both of us, but at the end of the night we'd make up and we'd help each other study, giving each other back rubs or calling out questions for each other. The best picture in my mind however, was swimming with Paige on the same team, rather than against her. Where all of this took place was meaningless to me, as long as Paige was with me, I knew I'd be happy.

"Emily?" Aria called, waving her hand in front of me. "Earth to Emily?" I snapped out of my day dream, putting my attention on Aria. "What were you smiling so widely about? We just asked if you knew where you wanted to go yet?"

I shook my head, but was unable to stop smiling at my daydream. My perfect situation. "I don't care" I blurted out. "As long as I'm swimming next to Paige, I really could care less about the school." The three girls looked a little shocked at what I had just admitted. Spencer went to speak but I cut her off, not wanting to hear her opinion on my reasoning for choosing a school. "We've been through so much" I defended. "After everything, I really don't think I could stand being hours away from her, not be able to see her goofy smile." I cringed at the idea of not seeing her every day. "I know it hasn't been very long, but I just can't imagine being happy at school without my girlfriend at my side" I said, holding my ground. I was bracing myself for a Hastings outrage, but instead the girl walked up to me and gave me a hug.

"It sounds like you know exactly what you need." She affirmed. I returned the embrace to the skinny girl, happy that she wasn't upset with me for my choices. "You two will find a place that's a perfect fit for the both of you. It's not like either one of you is selfish. Paige wouldn't pick a school you don't like. Where ever you two end up, I know you'll be happy." Spencer assured.

"She's right Em." Aria contributed. "Have you two talked about school yet?" She asked.

I shook my head. "It's never really come up. She's freaking out about scholarships, for no reason I might add, I didn't want to stress her out more by telling her I want to go to school with her."

"Are you stupid?" Hanna exclaimed. "Em, that's only going to make her the happiest person in the entire universe. Tell _her_ this tonight. It will put her mind at ease." Hanna was right. Paige and I needed to discuss our future and she deserved to know that she was a big part in finding the right school for me.

"Thanks guys." I pulled them in for a big group hug. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

Just then, the doorbell rang so we made our way downstairs to greet the three new guests. My mother was still busy in the kitchen so I pulled open the front door, letting the girls inside. Paige walked in first, giving me a shamelessly longing look before pulling me in for a hug and a chaste kiss. "Hey pretty girl" Paige whispered. "You look stunning" She pulled me back a little, taking both of my hands in hers and looking me up and down. "Beautiful." I hadn't seen her all day since she missed school to look at houses with her mom. I didn't realize how much I could miss her presence in one day until I saw her now, staring at me with her deep brown eyes, expressing the same feeling I had. Love.

"You look amazing too. Well, you always do. I missed you today" I whispered. I wished I could just take her upstairs right now and have that conversation with her. And then do something way better than talking. But her mom and Kelly were standing inside the door, along with my friends who were standing behind us snickering so I regretfully pulled away from Paige, trying my best to be a polite host to her mother and Kelly.

"Hello, Beth" I greeted politely. I swallowed my nerves and pulled her into a slightly awkward hug.

"Emily" she trilled. "You look beautiful." I was trying really hard with Beth in the past couple of weeks. At first it was hard, and I had to admit to myself I was a little jealous of all the time that Paige was spending with her. But eventually, I had warmed up to the lady who came here to get her daughter back. It took time, but I finally accepted that Beth really meant what she said, and I was able to trust her not to break Paige's heart. I found that trust when I saw the way she looked at her daughter. Like anybody who took the time to see Paige's heart, she was captivated.

"Thanks, you look nice yourself" I complimented. She and Paige were both dressed casually but with a hint of effort. I acknowledged Kelly, seeing that much like Hanna, she'd dressed eloquently, maybe even upstaging Hanna herself. I would have to get earplugs for the amount of squeals that were going to ensue once Hanna told her about the internship.

Kelly grinned at me. "Oh good, you're not ripping her throat out. They tried to convince me you'd been nothing but nice to her, Em, but I wasn't going to believe it until I saw it myself" She crushed me in a hug, not giving me a chance to feel embarrassed about what she'd announced to the entire group.

"Missed you too Kelly" I shot back, sticking my tongue out at her for dramatic effect.

"Is your mom in the kitchen?" Beth asked. I nodded. "I'm going to go say hello and see if she needs any help" She wandered off to the kitchen and Paige excused herself momentarily to go say her hello's to my mom, dragging Kelly along with her.

"All we're saying, Spence," Kelly reasoned, "Is if you didn't worry so much about your grades, you wouldn't be getting those permanent lines on your forehead. Seriously, it looks like that vein is about to pop, you need to stop stressing out."

Dinner was becoming a bit of a shit show. Hanna and Kelly had teamed up on Spencer, trying to convince her to 'live a little' and get a B in something. Spencer of course wasn't having any of it, but going against Hanna and Kelly was getting to her. The vein in her forehead really did look like it was about to burst, but I didn't think that was from the stress of grades. Aria and Paige were killing themselves laughing, while Beth and my mom were trying to convince both sides that there needed to be balance. Me? I was just trying to make sure Spencer didn't go for any sharp objects.

"Hanna got an internship in New York for the summer!" I blurted out in my haste to change the subject. It was silent for a moment before Hanna was on me like white on rice.

"Emily!" She whined. "That was _my_ big news. It wasn't the right moment yet." She glared at me and I honestly felt a little bad for stealing her thunder. But really, I had no other choice. "I'm officially ignoring you for the rest of the night." She huffed, turning away from me. I sighed. I knew she wasn't joking when she said that. "Moment ruiner!"

"Ruiner isn't a word Hanna" Spencer corrected, smirking in victory.

Beth, my mother, Paige and Kelly all congratulated her, and Kelly launched into a conversation about New York. So I had taken one for the team. Spencer mouthed a 'thank you' at me. She totally owed me one because I was never going to hear the end of this from Hanna. I would forever be the 'moment ruiner' in her mind.

"So we kind of have some news" Beth started, after everyone had calmed down and had finally finished eating. I looked at Paige curiously and she smiled and shrugged her shoulders. She reached for my hand that was resting on the tabled and played with my fingers.

"Go on" My mother encouraged.

"Well first of all, I'd personally like to say thank you to each of you for making my daughter so happy here in Rosewood. I owe you all so much for keeping her safe and supporting her when I…couldn't." I cringed a little but Paige just tightened her grip on my fingers, telling me to let it go. "And Pam, thank you so much for helping me get a job here. Nothing makes me happier than being able to stay near Paige for the end of her senior year. Which brings me to another point" She looked at Paige who nodded at her, giving her permission to go on I suppose. "We found a house in Rosewood. I put an offer on it today so hopefully by next week we'll know if we got it. It's actually a couple of blocks over from here. I think that might have been why Paige was so keen on it in the first place" Beth joked. It hadn't passed my mind that Beth kept saying 'we'. Did that mean…? "Paige, why don't you explain what you decided." She asked.

Paige gave me a smile before taking the floor. "I'm going to move in with my mom once we get the house. After all this time, I want to be with my family again. I…. well I might as well just tell everyone this now." She turned to look at her mother. "I went back to the police station this afternoon while you were getting groceries. I explained to the police that you were as much a victim of my father as I was and that now you were here with me. I have this paper for Pam to sign that basically releases me from her care, and you'd be my legal guardian again. After a quick statement at the police department of course from you. Apparently a seventeen year olds word isn't enough." She commented wryly.

Beth already had tears falling from her face. I guess Paige hadn't told her yet. "Paige" She whispered, smiling so contently that I was almost in tears myself.

"I meant what I said, mom. I'm ready to be a family again. For real this time." She reached across the table and gave her hand a squeeze.

"I'll sign that paper tonight" my mom agreed. A small part of me wished she'd be a little more apprehensive, not because I didn't trust Beth with Paige, but I really wanted Paige to myself for a little bit longer. Most of me was happy for the family of two sitting at my table. "Ah! Such a good night for celebration of your job isn't it Beth? This calls for another bottle of wine."

"Yes!" Hanna agreed eagerly. "Let me help you with that Ms. Fields." She called. My mom lightly tapped the back of her head as she walked by.

"For the grown-ups, miss New York." She teased.

We sat at the dinner table for a while after we'd finished eating. My mom put Spencer and Hanna on dish duty to ensure that they would make amends but really it just turned into Hanna flicking water and Spencer and Spencer whipping her with a wet dish towel. Although their bickering got on my nerves a lot, it brought a lot of entertainment.

Slowly the girls trickled out as the night went on. Kelly was the last to leave aside from Paige and her mother, deciding that she should probably get back to Philly at some point.

It was down to the four of us, my mother and Beth had gone through two bottles of wine and being pretty embarrassing, slurring their words and talking about how much they loved each of us.

"mom" Paige groaned. Take a cab back to the apartment please, I can't take this anymore I'm going to bed. Em?" Paige asked, reaching for my hand. I took it gratefully, I didn't know how much more of this I could take.

"Goodnight girls!" They both called cheerily, giggling like little kids. Ugh. Thank god our friends left before it got this bad. We'd never hear the end of it if Hanna had witnessed their antics.

We reached my room, and I remembered the conversation I needed to have with Paige. I swallowed my nerves and sat on the window seat, beckoning her to come sit beside me. "What's up Em?" She asked as I pulled her down on the seat next to me. I took both of her hands with mine, about to tell her what had been on my mind but I chickened out.

"I just wanna talk." I started. And just like that I chickened out as I saw her inviting gaze. I didn't want to upset her "It's pretty cool that Hanna got that internship" I said, lamely avoiding the subject.

Paige grinned. "It's amazing!" She exclaimed. "I mean, I didn't expect she wouldn't. That girl is gonna take over New York City. She's made for that place. I'm happy she's planning her future. It's kind of scary though. I guess it's all starting to get real." Paige commented. She gave me the perfect opening, and I shook my head and decided to take it.

"That's kind of what I wanted to talk to you about" I started. I looked into her eyes, extremely unsure of how I was going to put this. "I've been thinking a lot about where I _want_ to go to school. I've been thinking about it, but there's nowhere in particular I fell in love with. Lately, I've realized that no matter where I imagine myself next year… I just really want to be with you." I finally got to the point. Paige's eyes shifted slightly in realization. Before she could say anything though I continued. "I want you to be completely honest though Paige. Is it ok if I go to the same school as you? Do you want some space while you're going to—" my question was cut off by Paige's lips crushing against mine in a heated kiss.

She pulled my impossibly close, engulfing me in a warm hug. "Yes. I want to go to school with you too, Em." She continued holding me, putting her head on my shoulder, refusing to let go.

"I just didn't want to pressure you. I know you're stressed with scholarship stuff. Paige, I don't care where we end up ok? Just take me with you wherever you go?" I asked.

She finally released me a little, and I saw the complete bliss in her eyes. "This is a relief Emily. My biggest worry was being away from you next year. And I'm not going to be selfish. We'll find a place that fits both of us. Together."

I smiled because Hanna had basically said the exact same thing a few hours ago. "This is relieving. I was really afraid that you would think it's weird that I wanted you more than some school."

Paige grinned. "It definetly is a big of an ego booster." Paige joked. "Can I ask why though? How come you don't have a dream school? Or do you and you're just not going to tell me?" She asked.

I shook my head. "I promise there's no dream school. There's a dream girl though, and wherever we end up will be a happily ever after. I can't imagine being happy some place where you're not with me. I miss you even if you're gone for a day. I don't want phone calls and video chats with you next year because that's not good enough for me. I want to be with the girl I love. You're way more important than some school. Mostly I'm just being selfish, I don't want to risk losing you when it feels like I've only just got you back" I admitted.

Paige laughed. "You really think you'd lose me? You're telling me you'd rather be with me than anywhere else. I don't think I could find someone better than you, Em. I don't ever want to try. I just want to make sure you're doing this for the right reason. I don't want you to resent me in the future"

I pushed her a little roughly. "Resent you? Never. Paige McCullers I can't even explain this without sounding crazy. It's January. We've been together what, like 5 months? On one hand it feels like we've only just started, but on the other, it feels like we've been together for a life time. You're my soul mate, I don't care who calls me a love-struck, naïve teenager I know its more than that."

"Hey. You don't need to prove that to me." Paige said. "We're going to school together next year. I don't care how, but we are."Paige assured.

I pulled her back in my arms again. "Besides, how am I supposed to keep all the girls off you if you're miles away?" I asked, lightening the mood.

"I knew you had ulterior motives" She teased.

And that was that. We were going to school together, officially that was the new goal. I kissed her passionately, thinking about the memories we were going to make next year. Now, with everything out on the table and knowing we both felt the same way about our future I felt like there was a finality to us. If we were able to get through everything in the last 5 months to get to this moment, where we both decided that our future was more important than any school or scholarship I knew Paige and I could be forever.

Paige giggled a little bit as I began working through the buttons of her plaid shirt. "I thought we were sitting here so we could talk?" She asked.

I smirked at her, deciding to let her in on a little secret that Hanna had jokingly suggested earlier. "If I wanted to _just_ talk, I probably would have worn underwear" I whispered seductively.

Paige gasped. "Emily Fields we were having dinner with my _mother_. She's downstairs right now!" She tried to sound disapproving but I knew she was only kidding. She pulled me on top of her lap and continued kissing me as I worked my way down the rest of her buttons, pulling the flannel off her leaving her in a bra. I squeezed her toned arms, running my hands up and down them slowly before she'd apparently had enough, lifting me up and carrying me to the bed. She pushed me down a little roughly, laying on top of me and kissing me hard. I rolled us over, thankful for the double bed or my move would have sent us tumbling to the floor. Not that I would have really cared but with two drunk parents downstairs it probably would have caused a big of concern to them. I straddled her waist and began kissing and sucking at her neck. Paige let out a quite moan, urging me to continue. Paige's hands began running up and down my sides, palming my ass and pushing me flush against her. Her hands slipped under my dress and I felt her breathing hitch when she found out for herself I was telling the truth about the underwear situation.

"God you're so fucking sexy" She husked. She began pulling at the dress, trying to find the best way to yank it off of me.

"Let's not rip this outfit Paige. I paid for this one" I teased. I sat up again, letting her pull the dress upwards and off my body. She grinned at my exposed body and hastily pulled me back down, kissing me with purpose. As I worked my hands to her breasts and undid the clasp of her bra expertly she began kissing my neck, working her way to my jaw back to my ear.

"This is going to be everyday when we're in College. You know that right?" She whispered.

I grinned, "That better be a promise" I shot back, then latching my mouth to her left breast. I could feel her racing heart against my mouth. I felt her hands grip my hair tightly as I played with her breasts sensually. Our moves started getting rather frantic and I could feel her getting more and more aroused and she moved up and down, pulling my body tighter against her. I was getting pretty hot myself, as I realized I was rubbing myself on her thigh. I worked my hands down her abs to her jeans, unbuttoning and unzipping them to get to my prize. I rolled us over again so Paige was on top, where I ripped her jeans off quickly. We were both moving hastily, wanting to be naked and on each other again. After her jeans were thrown across the room She straddled me, palming my breast while she took the other in my mouth and rolled her tongue around my nipple. It drove me while and I had to be careful to keep my moans quiet, barely remembering our mothers were downstairs. Paige began grinding against _my _thigh now, moaning a little too loudly. I pulled her face back up to my mouth, and began pushing my thigh against her, trying to release a bit of her tension.

"Em" She groaned. She rolled us over so I was on top yet again and pulled us both up so we were sitting and facing eachother. Her mouth latched on to my breasts again, this time hungrily and aggresivly sucking and kneading me. I was grinding my center against her, and although she was still wearing her underwear I could tell it was driving her wild. She pulled away from me, pushing my down on the bed so I was on my stomach and moved behind me. I felt a thrill of pleasure, wondering what was on her mind when I felt her lips against my ass, sucking and kissing in that same hungry way before she began to kiss up my back all the way to my neck. I could feel her front against my ass and I began grinding backwards, letting out a little yelp and I felt her hand snake around my waist and cup my center. She began expertly fingering my clit while grinding against my ass and the sensation of her behind me had me already near an orgasm. Soon, her front was flush against my back and she was sucking and nipping all over my back, without a doubt leaving marks this time. The feeling of her breasts against my back was sending my mind reeling.

"mmmm Paige" I moaned quietly. I kept pushing my ass backwards into her, grinding faster and faster and her fingers picked up the pace, just as I was about to release, she put her other hand around my waist and flipped me over, latching her mouth down on my clit and sticking two fingers in me, pumping quickly. I nearly let out a scream but her hand clamped down on my mouth as the first bit of noise escaped me. I grabbed her hand, taking her fingers in my mouth and sucking them roughly, trying anything to keep from making a noise. It didn't prevent the soft whimpers but the door was shut so I felt like we were ok. Paige wasn't helping matters by making moans as she sucked and licked me. As my orgasm subsided she looked up at me with a devilish grin. She continued licking me, careful to avoid my sensitive clit. She pulled away a little bit, licking her fingers dry before kissing my stomach all the way up, paying attention to my breasts for a moment before coming back up to my face and kissing me feverishly.

"So hot" She whispered.

"You're in trouble now" I wrapped my legs around her waist, flipping us over again and working my way down her body quickly. Paige let out a little whimper of shock at how quick it all escalated. I kissed the skin of her hip, sucking roughly on her tattoo much to my own pleasure while my hands trailed up and down her legs. As I continued kissing her tight abs I placed my hand over her panties and began rubbing slowly, Paige writhing and moaning at the torchering friction. Experimentally, I pressed my thumb to her clit through the underwear which sent her hips flying from the bed. I pressed a little harder, teasing through her panties and I could see and feel the wetness through the thin material. I brought my mouth down, licking at the fabric. Paige let out a frustrated growl at my slow pace. I felt like I had done enough to get her going so I pulled the fabric off her body, wasting no time in latching my mouth against her.

**Paige's POV-**

Emily's mouth latched, sucking at my clit as two fingers were pushed roughly into me. I gritted my teeth together, trying to keep from making a sound while she assaulted me with her tongue. "MMM sooo good" She moaned against me, and I knew the pay back was on. I was already close from the feeling of her grinding her ass against me not long ago. She continued licking, sucking and moaning while her fingers pumped and pumped in and out, fast and hard. It wasn't long until my back arched, but Emily held my thights to the bed, keeping her mouth in place as I rode out my orgasm.

"Emily, Emily, Emily" I whimpered. "SO hot." I mumbled. She pulled her fingers out, moving her mouth back to my tattoo. She then flopped down on top of me, kissing me passionately. I wasn't going to lie, tasting myself on her lips was turning me on yet again. I could tell Emily wasn't quite ready to fall asleep yet either as she nipped and sucked on my lips, pulling my bottom lip in her mouth and sucking it rather roughly. I pulled her face closer to mine, gripping her hair as we kissed. Our bodies were flush against each other, and I could feel Emily subtly grinding against my left thigh. I raised it a little and started countering her motions. It didn't take long for it to be not so subtle anymore and now she was practically humping my leg, moaning into my mouth. She grinned against me and moved her body a little further up my leg so everytime she moved forward her hip was grinding my clit. She continued this movement, picking up the pace until soon neither one of us could control our movements anymore. We were grinding wildy against each other, Emily's orgasm coming first and mine soon after at seeing the writhing girl on top of me. She collapsed on me, finally exhausted. I pulled the covers up, letting her shut her eyes while I cleaned up the mess of clothes just in case our parents came to check on us. I threw on a pair of shorts and a tank top, and picked out an oversized shirt for Emily to put on.

"Em, here" I whispered, but she was already sound asleep on the bed. I smirked, proud of myself for tiring her out. I lifted her limp body up, slipping the shirt over her head and pulling it down. She grinned, somewhere between dreams and reality and wrapped her arms around me, placing a lazy kiss to my cheek before nuzzling into my neck.

"You make me feel so good" She whispered cutely. "That's why I love you. You make me feel so good all the time"

"That's why I love you too" I whispered back, closing my eyes and letting myself drift to sleep with the girl who could make me feel so good.

*** Two Weeks Later ***

**Paige's POV-**

"Paige you're going to be late for school!" My mom called from our new kitchen. I jolted out of bed, throwing on the first things I saw in my drawers. I had overslept again, exhausted from the extra training I'd been doing. I ran downstairs in a haste to get ready, thinking I was going to miss first period. By the time I got downstairs I was all confused, seeing Emily sitting at the table, taking her first bite into her first piece of French Toast.

"Just kidding" Emily teased. "It's Saturday, don't you know that silly"

I growled and stuck my tongue out at her, turning around and heading back for bed. "Don't be a grouch, you're up now and you're mom made us breakfast.

"I liked it better when you weren't sure about her" I mumbled. "Now you two are teaming up against me, making sure I never get enough sleep. This really isn't fair" I whined.

They looked at me, pretending to be offended. "Poor poor Paige. Maybe you should go back to bed, you're not being a very good girlfriend" My mom teased. Emily nodded in agreement and I threw my hands up in the air. They were only proving my point.

"Why don't you just come here and give me a good morning kiss and all will be forgiven?" Emily offered.

I grinned, thinking of a sneaky plan to get back at her for the teasing and skipped over to her. As I leaned in to give her a kiss I swiped her plate of French Toast and ran across the kitchen, jumping up on the counter and stuffing as much food into my mouth before she could get to me.

"Paige!" My mom and Emily yelled.

"Wt?" I mumbled through my stuffed mouth.

"Ugh! Manners!" My mom chastised while Emily pouted in her seat. "Here, Emily, the next batch is all yours, and its fresher and warmer." I rolled my eyes as Emily nodded and said a cute thank you.

"Jee, thanks mom" I mumbled as I swallowed the rest of my helping. "hey Em, do you think your mom would be up for adopting me still?" I asked.

Emily laughed. "Let's not forget that you and my mom teamed up on me all the time when we first started dating"

"Yeah paybacks a bitch, Paige." My mom agreed.

"Ugh. I should have gone back to bed" I groaned.

After breakfast Emily and I went for a walk down my new street. It was still really surreal, getting used to being with my mother again and realizing I had a real family now. Perfect was a word I'd been using a lot lately, although I still feared the day it would all be pulled away from me.

"What are you thinking about?" Emily asked.

"How great everything's been lately. New house, new job, good mother, amazing girlfriend that I love…" I trailed off.

"Yeah, you've got it pretty good now don't you" Emily pondered. "You deserve it though Paige. Everything. You had to do through so much this year, and I know everything still isn't perfect but—"

"Shhh" I interupted. "Do you hear that?" I asked.

There was nothing but silence and Emily looked at me like I was stunned. "What?" She asked.

"It's peaceful in Rosewood for once. Can you believe it?" I joked.

Emily giggled at me. "Don't jinx it!" She joked back.

"I love you" I announced proudly, wrapping an arm around her waist as we made our way back to my new peaceful life. "And I'm ready for whatever next year brings. But I'm counting on you, wherever we go."

"Love you too." Emily whispered. "I know I can count on you too."

That's how it always was with us from the beginning. Counting on the other to hold us up when things got hard. It was how we made it, and it was how we always _would_ make it in the future.

* * *

**The end. Thank you so much for reading and I apologize that everything kind of wrapped up really quickly. I hope I didn't leave to many questions unanswered. Just to clear the air right now there will NOT be a sequel to this story. It's completely finished. **

**Seriously, Thank you thank you thank you a million times for those of you who have read and reviewed. Reviews really do help a writer so I really cannot express how much I've appreiciated every little bit of feedback I've received even if it's just a few words. Special thank you's to those who PM me (you know who you are) You're really the greatest and huge thanks to EndWorldPeas for putting up with my ranting when things weren't working out during writing. Everyone who likes this story should probably thank her for it even getting finished because there were many times where I wanted to chuck my laptop out the window. **

**As I said in my last chapter ** **I am working on a new story but it will not be out for another few weeks probably as I need a bit of a break from writing. **


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